More than 900 Catholic in Beijing on Sunday held a Mass to pray for Beijing to succeed in staging the Olympic Games in the year of 2008.

Fu Tieshan, president of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, presided over the Mass and prayed to God for Beijing's success in winning the right to host the Olympics in 2008.

"We are totally supporting Beijing's bidding for hosting the Olympic Games," said Fu, who is also the Bishop of Beijing parish.

"I hope every Catholic to be engaged in helping the Beijing's bid for Olympic Games, which is significant for the capital city."

Beijing put forward the bid for the second time following a two-vote loss to Sydney in 1993 and has become one of the five official bidders for the 2008 Olympics.

The other cities include Paris, Osaka, Toronto and Istanbul. IOC will decide the host city of the 2008 Olympics in July next year in Moscow.

(People's Daily 11/12/2000)