For decades, China’s Catholics \u201d\u201d estimated at more than 12 million \u201d\u201d have been bitterly divided. Some worship in China’s government-sanctioned Catholic churches, others in “underground” churches loyal to the Vatican.<\/p>\n
But three years ago, Pope Benedict XVI sent a letter to Chinese Catholics \u201d\u201d the first from a pope in more than a half-century \u201d\u201d urging reconciliation. Yet China’s Catholics have struggled to follow these instructions.<\/p>\n
Early morning in Sheshan, on the outskirts of Shanghai, Catholics kneel on the ground in front of the pilgrimage shrine to the Virgin Mary, known as the Marian shrine. A cacophony of prayer rises as different groups of pilgrims conduct their services, singing hymns of praise almost loud enough to drown each other out.
Many of these groups of believers refuse to enter the government-sanctioned church nearby. They are part of the “underground” church, even though on this day they are worshipping openly and unimpeded. Some of these believers refuse to take Holy Communion from Beijing’s officially appointed bishops, and instead follow bishops chosen by the Vatican.<\/p>\n