GREG BAKER/AP
IN MOURNING: Catholic women pray for the Pope during mass at an official church in Beijing
[ Or so they would have you believe. ]
What's the purpose of this spin?
China wants control of Taiwan, the Holy See is one of a few, including the United States, who recognize the legitimate status of Taiwan as an independent nation - despite a reversal of that status by the United Nations which long ago bowed to the squeeze put on it by China.
It is forbidden by law to communicate with the Vatican, a city state not recognized by Beijing's dictatorship. However, the writers lie to the reader with:
- "Underground churches now often work openly in China, and official churches recognize the spiritual authority of the Pope," says Anthony Lam, senior researcher at the Holy Spirit Study Center in Hong Kong. The outpouring of grief [ at the death of JPII ] , he says, "has brought the underground and official churches closer to each other than at any time in 50 years."
This article is worth studying for a variety of reasons including diplomatic blackmail, use of leverage and misinformation/propaganda falsehoods. An interesting twist of truth reads:
- On the whole, though, local Catholic leaders are enjoying more contact with Rome than ever before. According to the Vatican, all but about 10 of China's 70 official bishops have been recognized by the Pope. Even those who remain unrecognized—usually for past criticism of the Vatican—may still perform legitimate baptisms, hear confessions, and offer other religious services. Nor does the Vatican object when underground bishops come in from the cold and join the official church. "The official church in China is still a church, and its religious practices are valid," a Vatican official told TIME.
The Holy See has not publicly declared its acceptance of the communist church bishops and priests for the reason that they were not appointed by a pope, nor are they permitted to declare loyalty to the Holy See.
Recognizing heretics as legitimate ordained priests and bishops would make meaningless the Dogma and Sacraments of His Church. This article's declaration to the contrary demands an answer from the Holy See.
Has the Vatican sanctioned communist 'priests'?
I fervently urge you to take the time to read about the persecution of our brothers and sisters of the true Roman Rite Catholic Church in China by visiting The Cardinal Kung Foundation "The Chinese government does not allow the Vatican to choose bishops and other leaders for the Catholic Church in China."
See also, China spurns pope's funeral over Taiwan attendance This article presents the reality of the heretic/atheist controlled 'official' 'catholic' pretenders - taking their cue from their communist bosses: "....China's main [ party sanctioned] official Catholic organization said it would not send representatives to Rome....."Originally, we planned to send someone to the pope's funeral, but now we're not going," said Liu Bainian, vice chairman of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.
China's ticked because a group from Taiwan were going to be there as a symbol of respect for the dead pontiff.
Now that's reason enough for me to make the commie catholics a part of the Church. NOT!!!
Loyalty is not a part their lexicon, unless its the 'party' we're talking about. The CCPA is nothing more than a commie front dressed in the vestments of the Church. But the bozo article of this thread would have you think all is well with the two churches.
Of Greater Interest
Compare the above incredulous behavior of the Vatican toward a disloyal fraud which is wrongly and falsely misleading well intentioned Chinese Catholics, with the Church's official hypocritical and double standard toward the SSPX. Each member of the order publicly declared their fidelity to the Vicar of Christ on earth. In the light of its embrace of heretic priests in China, and its open door 'ecumenical' policy toward false god pagans, whom the Church has, contrary to Dogma, declared they don't need to profess Jesus Christ as their Savior, with it's appalling abuse of judgment toward the SSPX. The Vatican needs to reconcile itself with His will, less this indictment of institutional bigotry will remain nailed to its door.