Posted on 11/22/2014 3:31:12 PM PST by NYer
The Chinese government has proposed a cooperative arrangement with the Vatican regarding the appointment of Catholic bishops.
The Beijing regime has clashed repeatedly with Rome over the appointment of bishops. The Vatican insists that all bishops must be appointed with a mandate from the Holy See, and has announced the excommunication of Chinese bishops appointed without that mandate.
China, on the other hand, claims that the government-backed Catholic Patriotic Association should appoint bishops. In his 2007 letter on the Church in China, Pope Benedict XVI said that the universal Church cannot recognize the authority of a group like the Patriotic Association, which was established to exercise political control over the Church.
In suggesting a joint approach to new episcopal appointments, Chinese officials appear to be hoping to break through an impasse in talks with Rome. Officials said that China would not accept Rome’s demand to disband the Patriotic Association, but might agree to change the organization’s role. Chinese government sources said that they hoped to receive the Vatican’s response to their proposal by early in 2015.
At present Beijing does not recognize Catholic bishops of the “underground” Church loyal to Rome, while the Vatican does not recognize the bishops unilaterally appointed by the Patriotic Association. In practice most Chinese bishops, including those who were appointed by the government-backed body, have quietly sought and received the Vatican’s approval.
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Ping!
I’d hope the Vatican would not agree to this.
Well, that might end the government forced schism in China.
Why not? They have a German Catholic church that gets funded by taxes and owns the largest porn publisher in the country.
It would give the authority of the Chinese Communist Party over that of the Vatican and would legitimize the Communists.
It would also be predicated on the Vatican withdrawing their recognition and diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a country that allows religious freedom and does not demand input in to who the Vatican appoints to posts in Taiwan.
The Vatican should never agree to that stuff
The Chinese Patriotic Association has been sending all of its seminarians to the US for seminarian training. While in the US the seminarians have been trained correctly as to the truth of the the Faith. In the most recent ordination all of the seminarians refused in unison to the point where I believe the ordination could not take place. So, the Chinese government has been forced to work with the Vatican. This is actually a very hopeful sign.
Now that, if it's real, That is news.
In China excommunication of the leaders is not an option.
If I were the guys from Rome, I’d go “Fine. While we’re at it, how’s about we get a veto on the PRC and CPC’s senior appointments?” And then both sides can have a good cleansing laugh, and the Chicoms can back off and let the Church does what it does in every civilized country in the world.
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