Free Republic

[Catholic Caucus] The Red Guard of TraditionWho controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.—George Orwell, 1984.Tucker Carlson recently interviewed a Chinese woman named Xi Van Fleet. After Mao’s culture revolution, Xi sought and received asylum in the United States in the 1970s. She soon came to love and defend America. This became especially evident when, in 2020, she realized the United States was undergoing a communist revolution, fabricated not upon a conflict of class, but rather that of race. (Fabricated is the operative word in the last sentence.) Although Xi never wanted to be...

[Catholic Caucus] Pope Francis announces 3 Chinese bishops in a week, in sign controversial Vatican deal is working VaticanPope Francis on Jan. 31 announced the nomination of a new Chinese bishop, the third in less than a week, in an apparent sign that a controversial 2018 accord with Beijing governing the nomination of Chinese bishops is working.Bishop Peter Wu Yishun was consecrated bishop of Minbei in Fujian in southeast China, the Vatican said in a statement. It noted that Francis had named him bishop on Dec. 6.On Jan. 29, the Vatican announced a new bishop for Weifang and said Francis...

Hong Kong’s Catholics face ‘collapse of religious freedom’Religious freedom is being lost in Hong Kong due to pressure from the Chinese Communist Party, according to a new report from the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation.Released 30 January 2024, the Hostile Takeover: The CCP and Hong Kong’s Religious Communities report highlights “the systematic breaking of promises” made under the so-called “One Country, Two Systems” arrangement that was outlined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration when the UK handed control of Hong Kong to the CCP in 1997.The report also highlights how the Beijing-imposed National Security Law (NSL) is being used...

[Catholic Caucus] Pope Francis tells Communists: ‘Don’t back down, don’t give up’‘Imagine he had said that [don't give up] to the Traditional Catholics,’ said John-Henry Westen.Pope Francis meeting with the Marxist group, January 10, 2024Hosting a Marxist-Christian dialogue group at the Vatican on Wednesday, Pope Francis urged them to “be open, in dialogue, to new ways,” while avoiding reiterating the Church’s consistent condemnation of Marxism. Shortly before his weekly general audience on January 10, Pope Francis received a small delegation from the DIALOP group. DIALOP, according to its own description, is a “project of dialogue between Socialists/Marxists and Christians, involving...

Pope XiHow the Vatican capitulated to the Chinese Communist PartyThe Holy See’s 2018 provisional agreement with Beijing is failing, but the problems with the Vatican’s China policy did not begin five years ago. They stem from the 1980s, when the Holy See began pursuing dialogue with the Chinese Communist Party. The Vatican has capitulated more and more to keep that dialogue alive.The capitulation has accelerated during Pope Francis’s papacy and under Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Pope Benedict XVI, in a 2007 letter laying out fundamental principles for China’s Catholic Church, called the Beijing regime’s unilateral appointment of...

Head of Chinese Communist gov’t-run church accepts invitation to visit Diocese of Hong KongArchbishop Li Shan's visit to the Diocese of Hong Kong comes after a year of Beijing's continued violation of the secretive Sino-Vatican deal.HONG KONG (LifeSiteNews) — The communist state-approved Archbishop of Beijing has accepted an invitation to visit Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, marking the increasing links between Hong Kong and the Chinese Communist Party authorities. In a very brief statement issued November 3, the Diocese of Hong Kong announced that “Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing” would begin a five day visit to the diocese on...

[Catholic Caucus] Zen threatens boycott of HK cardinal’s Mass if Beijing bishop attendsThe Hong Kong diocese is facing a diplomatic controversy ahead of a Mass celebrating the diocese’s newest cardinal, over the invitation of a bishop close to the Chinese Communist Party and Beijing government. Cardinal Stephen Chow, SJ, of Hong Kong will celebrate on Saturday a Mass of thanksgiving for his elevation to the College of Cardinals. But sources close to the diocese have told The Pillar that preparations for the event are being overshadowed by concerns about whether Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing will be allowed to...

Open Letter to Pope Francis from Chinese Faithful: "You are killing us!"Dear Pope Francis,We, the awakening Catholics in the underground and official churches in China, write you this open letter to lament your betraying our Church and destroying our nation.Since 1949 communist takeover, countless martyrs chose to sacrifice everything to remain loyal to the Holy See – till today. Pope Pius XII, Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have shown appreciation, encouragement and comfort to us. They condemned the evil of communism, confirmed illegality of the “Patriotic Association”, and admonished resistance to immoral cooperation with CCP. Pope...

Catholic Congressman Calls for Pope Francis to Confront China’s Abuses In a Thursday op-ed published in The Washington Post, Catholic Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-WI, called for Pope Francis to confront the tyranny of the genocidal Chinese Communist Party (CCP).Gallagher chairs the House Select Committee on the CCP. The congressman started his column with a side-by-side comparison between Francis and the outspokenly anti-communist Pope St. John Paul II.“John Paul’s exhortation to the faithful to live in truth and stand against aggression helped end the [Polish communist] regime,” Gallagher wrote. “He often said these three words: Be not afraid.”“As the Synod of...

Hong Kong bishop: Evangelization in China shouldn’t have ‘agenda of turning them into Catholics’Cardinal-elect Stephen Chow said Thursday that evangelization in China today should focus on communicating the love of God “without the agenda of turning them into Catholics.”In an interview in Rome with CNA on Sept. 28, the bishop of Hong Kong, who will be made a cardinal in the consistory this weekend, spoke about his vision for evangelization in mainland China.“I think it is important that we say that Pope Francis made a distinction. Evangelization is really to help people to understand the love of God — and...

Pope Francis on Imperialism: Is Russia a Special Case?A month after Pope Francis spoke in favorable terms about Russia’s imperial past, the diplomatic ramifications still reverberate. Last week, the Holy Father received the credentials of the new Russian ambassador, a rather routine encounter, though with a Vatican statement about how friendly the meeting was.A few days later, on Friday, the Holy Father received the Ukrainian ambassador to the Holy See in a private audience, which is absolutely not a routine encounter. Ambassadors to the Holy See get two meetings with the pope, both pro forma — one when they present...

A Profile in Courage: Cardinal Kung and Catholic Resistance in ShanghaiOn the evening of Sept. 8, 1955, public security officers of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a mass arrest of Catholic clergy in the city of Shanghai. Among them was the first native-born bishop of the city, Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei. By the end of the month, over 1,200 priests and lay faithful were arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned.This carefully orchestrated event was the culmination of a multiyear process by the CCP to break Catholic resistance in the city and to bring the Church under the control of the state. ......

Pope Francis insists Vatican’s relationship with Chinese Communist gov’t is ‘very respectful’Pope Francis's defense of Vatican relations with Beijing comes despite mounting evidence to the contrary. Communist authorities only days ago forbade Chinese Catholics from meeting the Pope in Mongolia.ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (LifeSiteNews) – Speaking about the Vatican’s dealings with Communist China, Pope Francis described the relationship as “very respectful,” despite Beijing authorities forbidding Chinese Catholics to travel to neighboring Mongolia to see the Pope. “The relationship with China is very respectful, very respectful,” said Francis, during his now traditional in-flight press conference, held on the return journey from...

Pope Francis urges Chinese Catholics to be ‘good citizens’As Pope Francis concluded Mass on Sunday in the Hun Theatre in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, he took a moment to invite two Chinese bishops to stand with him at the altar for a moment.The Pope greeted Cardinal John Tong Hon, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, and Cardinal-elect Stephen Chow Sau-yan, SJ, bishop of Hong Kong.As he held up their hands, Pope Francis sent greetings to the “noble people of China” and wished “all the people the best.”He encouraged the people of China to “strive ahead, always advancing.”Turning to the faithful...

Pope Francis Confirms Vatican Envoy’s Visit to China in Wide-Ranging InterviewIn a newly published interview, Pope Francis described the ongoing Synod on Synodality as fulfilling “the dream of Paul VI” and underscored that the process is about recovering a lost form of ecclesial participation, not changing doctrine.The Holy Father also confirmed rumors that Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Vatican’s special envoy for peace in Ukraine, will soon be visiting China. The pope described Zuppi’s “scheduled stopover” in Beijing as part of the Vatican’s “peace offensive,” which has already included visits to Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington, D.C. The Pope said he is...

Chinese Communist Party humiliates Pope Francis with Shanghai bishop appointmentThe Sino-Vatican Agreement has been a disaster for the Church in China.(Population Research Institute) — This past Saturday, Pope Francis caved. After many months of delay, he finally accepted the Chinese Communist Party’s candidate for bishop of Shanghai, a bishop by the name of Joseph Shen Bin.Shanghai, the most important diocese in all of China, was once the See of Cardinal Ignatius Kung Pin-mei (1901-2000), one of the most heroic bishops in recent history. Cardinal Kung spent three decades in a Communist prison cell (1955-85) for refusing to bend the knee...

[Catholic Caucus] In Blessing CCP Bishop, Francis Surrenders to the Spirit of the WorldToday, Pope Francis blessed the appointment of Joseph Shen Bin, who had been installed as Bishop of Shanghai by the Chinese Communist Party in April without the Vatican's consent. The unauthorized appointment violated the Vatican's agreement with the Chinese Communist Party, which calls for the Vatican to reach consensus with the CCP on bishop choices. Indeed, this the second unauthorized appointment in the past year. But the Vatican remains unfazed: it is "determined" to continue an "open dialogue" with the CCP. This approach, of course, contrasts with...

Cardinal Burke to offer Traditional Latin Mass for faithful, persecuted Chinese CatholicsCardinal Burke's Mass on Tuesday, July 25 in Stamford, Connecticut, will honor Our Lady of Sheshan in support of the persecuted clergy and faithful of the underground Catholic Church in Communist China.STAMFORD, Connecticut (LifeSiteNews) — Later this month, Raymond Cardinal Burke will celebrate a solemn traditional Latin Mass in honor of Our Lady of Sheshan, praying for the persecuted clergy and faithful of the underground Catholic Church in Communist China.The solemn Pontifical Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 25, at 6 p.m. ET at the Basilica of St....

Faith Leaders Warn Lawmakers of Worsening Religious Persecution for Catholics and Other Christians in China, Criticize Vatican AgreementSurvivors of religious persecution and leaders from Muslim, Christian and Buddhist faith backgrounds warned lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday that the persecution of people of faith by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has only grown worse in the past year, as churches are destroyed, people of faith imprisoned, and government efforts to take over church leadership continue. The Protestant pastor was the target of scrutiny by the CCP for receiving instruction and ordination from the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the U.S. that, he...

Pope Francis meeting Cuban leader ‘disappointing’A Vatican meeting between Pope Francis and Cuban President and First Secretary Miguel Díaz-Canel on June 20 drew a small protest at the Via della Conciliazione (Road of the Conciliation), the boulevard leading to St. Peter’s Square.Demonstrators called for political prisoners to be set free and for human rights abuses to cease across the island-nation.According to local media, the two leaders spoke about diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Cuba, the historic visit of Pope John Paul II in 1998, the situation in the country, the Cuban Church’s charitable activities and international issues.The meeting...