The recent agreement between the Vatican and China is a step towards the “annihilation” of the Catholic Church in China, Cardinal Joseph Zen, former bishop of Hong Kong, wrote in a New York Times op-ed published on Wednesday.
The September 22 agreement was designed to unify the underground Church and the state-run Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA), by approving a formula through which Pope Francis would approve bishops nominated by Beijing.
But Zen’s op-ed said the distinction between the underground Church and the CCPA has not been eradicated.
He said those who attend the “underground” Church worship in secret and are subject to persecution from the government if they are discovered. Amid a religious crackdown in China, Zen said that priests of the underground church have been encouraging their parishioners to skip Mass for their own safety.
While Pope Francis is “very pastoral,” Zen said does not think that he properly understands how Communist China works. In Pope Francis’ home country of Argentina, the Communists worked to defend the poor against government oppression, often alongside Jesuits, he said. This could be why the pope “may have a natural sympathy for Communists,” as he views them to be persecuted.
It is far different, said Zen, in places where Communists are the ruling party–like China. When they acquire power, the Communists become the persecutors themselves, he said.
Zen was also critical of Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who he described as caring more about diplomatic success than he does about the Church. Parolin seeks to restore normal relations between the Vatican and China for the first time since 1950.
While the exact terms of the agreement between China and the Vatican were not released, Zen is not optimistic about the future of the underground church. While Pope Francis could still “veto” the nomination of a state-approved bishop, “what good is having the last word when China will have all the words before it?”
Despite this, Zen warned the clergy of the underground church against starting any kind of “revolution.” Instead, if the government takes away their churches or prohibits them from officiating, they should return to their families, continue praying, and “wait for better times.”
“Communism isn’t eternal.”
Full story at The Catholic Herald. To read the New York Times op-ed, click here.
Would there were a diplomatic corps “vigano”who cry out to save the ‘china policy’
Hete is a report on how the Communist Chinese jonored the agreement with the Holy See:
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/chinese-authorities-destroy-two-marian-shrines-despite-vatican-china-agreement-21910
“ In Pope Francis’ home country of Argentina, the Communists worked to defend the poor against government oppression, often alongside Jesuits, he said. This could be why the pope “may have a natural sympathy for Communists.“ Pope Francis is an Argentinian Peronista Jesuit working for social justice and divorce for all, only that now his authority expands to the whole world. The American Homoheretic Catholic Church is his responsibility too.
Francis works for hos own brand and his own idea of what social justice shoud be, at the expense of destroying established Church teaching.
Well said. To put it more simply and bluntly: the church is now corrupt all the way to the top. I don’t think it’s just the smoke of Satan which is in the church now… I think it’s on fire.
The agreement with Communist China will not be honored by the Chinese.
Has the Vativan forgotten the Reichskoncordat with Nazi Germany in 1933? Thay agreement was an utter demonstration of the inability to deal with tyrannical goverements:
https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/nazi-germany/the-catholic-church-and-nazi-germany/
Hopefully the underground church remains intact and vibrant. This won’t be the first time that a local church was thrown under the bus. If the underground church survives, I think a new pope will be appalled at Chinese overreach and revoke the deal.
St. John Paul, pray for them.
Perhaps Cardinal Zen does not understand the Pope… and what he is doing in China!
The Chinese just destroyed two Marian shrines. Perhaps, just perhaps, Cardinal Zen knows the communist regime a thousand times better than the pope.
Cardinal Zen understands very well what Pope is doing in China, and that’s why he is against it. NOTHING good can ever come out of the pact with devil.