Pray for the canonization of Ignatius Cardinal Kung – March 12: During the Cold War, there were two high ranking prelates imprisoned by communists around the world for practicing their Catholic faith. In the west, it was Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty of Hungary (later escaped to the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, and then was later exiled to Austria until his death in 1975). In the east, it was Cardinal Ignatius Kung, the archbishop of Shanghai who stood strong for papal authority, and for it spent the better part of 30 years in prison (1955-1985).In 1979, Pope John Paul II secretly named him a cardinal “in pectore” (e.g. close to the heart). After his release, Cardinal Kung was eventually immigrated to the U.S., where he lived in Connecticut until his death in March 12, 2000. We know from the Cardinal Kung Foundation that Cardinal Kung frequently offered the Traditional Mass during his last years in the U.S. On this day let us remember to pray for his canonization. To learn more about Cardinal Kung, and to support the underground Church in China with your Lenten almsgiving (including having Masses offered in China), please visit: http://www.cardinalkungfoundation.org/