The church of St Anthony of Padua in Washngton, D.C., will have a Solemn High Requiem Mass for Ignatius Cardinal Kung, in solidarity with the persecuted Church in China on Saturday, February 26th, at 11:00 AM. The church is located at 1029 Monroe Street NE.
Ignatius Cardinal Kung was consecrated Bishop of Shanghai in 1950 and in 1955 was imprisoned by the Chinese Communist Party for 33 years as punishment for refusing to join the Patriotic Association. In 1986 he was named a cardinal in secret by St. John Paul II. In 1986 he was released from prison and settled in America. His courageous example of resisting tyranny and standing up for the truth inspires Catholics around the world. When receiving his cardinal red hat from John Paul II, the audience gave him a 7-minute standing ovation. Cardinal Kung died in March 2000 at the age of 98 in Connecticut.
Persecutions of Catholics in China and around the world still take place on a daily basis. As Catholics living in the free world, it is imperative that we pray for persecuted Christians, especially those who live under totalitarian regimes.
