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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Pope calls for reconciliation of Catholics in Communist China |
| 2007-07-01 |
| The open letter is pastoral in nature, but it is also a declaration for religious freedom in China. And the Holy See continues formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. ROME: In an extraordinary open letter directed to Chinese Catholics, Pope Benedict XVI has acknowledged the suffering experienced by Catholics under Communist rule but also concluded that it was time to forgive past wrongdoings and for the underground and state-sponsored Catholic churches in China to reconcile. Openly hoping for a renewal of relations between China and the Vatican, which were suspended in the 1950s, Pope Benedict reassured the Chinese government that the Vatican offered no political challenge to its authority, while urging the state-sponsored Catholic church to acknowledge the Vatican's control on religious matters. "The misunderstanding and incomprehension weighs heavily, serving neither the Chinese authorities nor the Catholic Church in China," the letter, which was released Saturday, said. It was the pope's long-awaited first official and explicit statement on China's estimated 12 million Catholics, the majority of whom worship in underground churches to avoid having to register with the government and swear loyalty to it. Months in preparation, the 28-page letter was issued in multiple languages, including Chinese, along with an unusual accompanying "Explanatory Note" highlighting main points. The pope praised China for "the splendor of its ancient civilization" and noted with approval that it had greater religious freedoms and decisive movement toward socioeconomic progress. He underlined that the Roman Catholic Church "does not have a mission to change the structure or administration of the State." Gerolamo Fazzini, editor of Mondo e Missione, a magazine for the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, said: "This is a step forward because it states the Vatican position clearly and holds out a hand to civil authorities. It says the church and authorities can be allied in dialogue. That you can be good Chinese citizens and Catholics at the same time." |
| Posted by:mrp |
| #5 Some friends of mine have been approached on the street by missionaries lately. Things are changing. |
| Posted by: gromky 2007-07-01 21:39 |
| #4 I see this as a strategy that will incrementally bring religious freedom to several billion people. It is unlikely that the PRC will be willing to bring attention to itself with continued brutal surpresion of Catholics and other Western religions. Such a policy is bad for business. Hopefully, other Eastern religions will benefit as well. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2007-07-01 13:50 |
| #3 "Pope Exchanges Worthless Paper, for Brownie points with his flock." When you've never been on the ice, skating looks easy. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2007-07-01 13:36 |
| #2 I submitted this item for posting for its powerful political statements; it's direct challenge to the authority of the Communist Party. Here is the political lightning bolt (my emphases): Likewise, therefore, the Catholic Church which is in China does not have a mission to change the structure or administration of the State; rather, her mission is to proclaim Christ to men and women, as the Saviour of the world, basing herself – in carrying out her proper apostolate – on the power of God. As I recalled in my Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, ‘‘The Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible. She cannot and must not replace the State. Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice. She has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which justice, which always demands sacrifice, cannot prevail and prosper. A just society must be the achievement of politics, not of the Church. Yet the promotion of justice through efforts to bring about openness of mind and will to the demands of the common good is something which concerns the Church deeply''.14 In the light of these unrenounceable principles, the solution to existing problems cannot be pursued via an ongoing conflict with the legitimate civil authorities; at the same time, though, compliance with those authorities is not acceptable when they interfere unduly in matters regarding the faith and discipline of the Church. The civil authorities are well aware that the Church in her teaching invites the faithful to be good citizens, respectful and active contributors to the common good in their country, but it is likewise clear that she asks the State to guarantee to those same Catholic citizens the full exercise of their faith, with respect for authentic religious freedom. The Falun Gong were (and are) hunted down, imprisoned, and executed by the thousands for far less. |
| Posted by: mrp 2007-07-01 13:17 |
| #1 A better Headline. "Pope Exchanges Worthless Paper, for Brownie points with his flock." |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-07-01 11:55 |