Pope confirms desire to visit China, says criticisms are ‘always helpful’

In a new interview with the Jesuit province of China, Pope Francis expressed his desire to visit the country and spoke of his admiration for the faith of the Chinese Church and culture, as well as various aspects of his papacy, including criticism and opposition. Asked by Jesuit Fr Pedro Chia, who conducted the interview, about potentially visiting China, the Pope said, “yes, I really want to.”

Should he visit, Francis said he would visit the Marian shrine of Sheshan and meet with the bishops and the People of God, “who are faithful, they are faithful. It is a faithful people who have gone through so much and remained faithful.” Asked if he had a special message to Chinese Catholic youth, the Pope said, “Always a message of hope.”

Tautological

“It seems tautological to send a message of hope to a people who are masters of waiting. The Chinese are masters of patience, masters of waiting, you have the ‘virus of hope.’ It’s a very beautiful thing,” he said. Noting that he used to work with a group of Chinese immigrants while still archbishop of Buenos Aires, the Pope told his interviewer that the Chinese “are descendants of a great people, a great people.” “From the noodles of Marco Polo until today, you are a great people. Don’t waste this heritage, pass it on with patience, this heritage of great people you have,” he said, saying he has a statue of Our Lady of Sheshan, Mary Help of Christians, in his private apartment.

The interview with Pope Francis took place May 24, the feast day of Our Lady of Sheshan, and was conducted by the communications office for the Jesuit province in China. It was published August 8 on the province’s YouTube channel.

At the conclusion of the 16-minute video was a list of acknowledgements, including special thanks to the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific; Jesuit Cardinal Stephen Chow of Hong Kong; Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, undersecretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education; Jesuit Fr Fernando Azpiroz; Jesuit Fr Elton Fernandes, and Victoria Wu.

You have to wait, endure, and often correct oneself, because behind some resistances there can be a good (constructive) criticism”

During the interview, Pope Francis also spoke about his daily routine, challenges and crises he’s faced, and how he handles criticism and opposition, even from within the Church. Speaking of the criticism he faces, Pope Francis said it at times hurts, but that he believes “Criticisms are always helpful. Even if they are not constructive, they are always helpful, because they make one reflect on one’s actions.” “Then, consulting helps me a lot, consulting and listening,” he said, saying oftentimes when there is resistance, “you have to wait, endure, and often correct oneself, because behind some resistances there can be a good (constructive) criticism”.

Francis lamented that not all of the criticism he faces are against him personally, but are also “against the Church”, pointing, for instance, to a small group of faithful who only recognise papal authority up to Pope Pius XII.

He recalled how a Spanish-language magazine recently showed a list of some 22 groups that currently believe the papacy is vacant, but said these groups are small, and voiced his belief that “over time they will integrate (into the Church)”.

Delegation

Pope Francis also spoke of the importance of collaboration and delegation in getting through his busy schedule, saying he depends a lot on the prefects of Vatican dicasteries and delegates a lot of tasks, “because if one tries to do everything alone, things don’t work out. Know how to delegate”. “Collaboration, listening, consulting,” are all essential to getting the job done, he said.

Francis said he has received many moments of consolation throughout his papacy, and that “the Lord shows his presence through consolation.” However, he also said there have been several significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the outbreak of wars that continue to rage, including the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Myanmar.

A crisis, in a way, is like a labyrinth, you walk and walk and never seem to get out. You emerge from a crisis by rising above”

“I’ve always tried to resolve them through dialogue, and when this doesn’t work, with patience. And always with a sense of humour,” he said, saying that for more than 40 years he has recited daily the prayer of St Thomas More, “Grant me, Lord, a sense of humour”.

Asked how he handles moments of crisis, Pope Francis said, “crises have to be overcome with two things: First, you emerge from a crisis by rising above, like from a labyrinth. A crisis, in a way, is like a labyrinth, you walk and walk and never seem to get out. You emerge from a crisis by rising above.” “Second, you never get out alone. You get out with help or through companionship. Letting yourself be helped is very important, isn’t it?” he said.

Discernment

He also offered advice to those considering joining the Jesuit order, telling anyone considering the option to “enter into discernment” and to find someone to accompany them along the way. The Jesuit order, he said, must never lose “the missionary spirit. It’s a missionary order…The difficulties and resistances that St Ignatius faced at the beginning were conflicts with people who looked inward and lost their missionary spirit. It’s interesting”.

The pope said his dream was for a Church free from “the plague of clericalism and the plague of spiritual worldliness”

Referring to the spiritual exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, the Pope said he depends on them daily, and that the most important aspect of the exercises, for him, is “to look for accompaniment in listening first before deciding. To have someone accompany me so I don’t make mistakes. Discernment is important”.

Asked how he envisioned the Catholic Church 50 years from now, the Pope said his dream was for a Church free from “the plague of clericalism and the plague of spiritual worldliness,” two things he frequently condemns as harmful to the life of the Church. Pope Francis also said the best advice he could give to his successor was to pray, “because the Lord speaks in prayer”.