Catholic Word of the Day: CHINESE RITES, 02-18-11

CatholicReference.net ^ | 02-18-11 | Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary

[Salvation]

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CHINESE RITES

Ancient Catholic rites practiced by the Chinese whom the Jesuits converted to Christianity in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. these rites allowed the honoring of ancestors and the paying of token respect to Confucious. The Jesuit missionaries, notably Matteo Ricci, S.J. (1552-1610), considered these rites essentially cultural and not religious and consequently not compromising to the purity of the Christian religion. It was also believed that their practice would make the people more tolerant of Christianity. Other missionaries objected and much misunderstanding developed. In the Apostolic Constitution Ex illa die, Pope Clement XI in 1715 and Pope Benedict XIV in 1742 forbade these rites to be continued among the converts on the ground that they had a basis of superstition that could not be overlooked. The Holy See, feeling that Ricci's error was one of judgment and not of faith or morals, forbade anyone from saying that the good missionary had approved idolatry.

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

[Salvation]

It would seem that the Catholic Church in China has been through (and still is in) a lot of trouble.

Only the underground Catholic Church in China is valid. The one the government recognizes, gives in to the communist Chinese government.

[Salvation]

Catholic Word of the Day – links will be provided later by another FReeper.

 

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Crucifixion	Argument ad Populum	Wisdom
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