After the signing Saturday of a provisional Vatican-China deal on the nomination of bishops, the Vatican announced Pope Francis’ recognition of seven illicitly ordained Chinese bishops.
The decision was made “with a view to sustaining the proclamation of the Gospel in China,” according to a Sept. 22 Vatican press brief.
Those bishops who will now be admitted to full communion with the Church are Bishop Joseph Guo Jincai of Rehe; Bishop Joseph Huang Bingzhang of Shantou; Bishop Paul Lei Shiyin of Jiading; Bishop Joseph Liu Xinhong of Wuhu; Metropolitan Archishop Joseph Ma Yinglin of Kunming; Bishop Joseph Yue Fusheng, apostolic administrator of Harbin; and Bishop Vincent Zhan Silu of Funing.
The pope also recognized Bishop Anthony Tu Shihua, who died on Jan. 4, 2017, but, according to the press release, “had expressed the desire to be reconciled with the Apostolic See” before his death.
The statement expressed Francis’ hope that the decision to recognize the bishops, who were ordained by the Chinese government without permission from Rome, would begin a new process “that will allow the wounds of the past to be overcome, leading to the full communion of all Chinese Catholics.”
Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, sent a statement commenting on the provisional agreement between the Vatican and China, saying, “today, for the first time all the Bishops in China are in communion with the Bishop of Rome, with the Successor of Peter.”
“Pope Francis, like his immediate Predecessors, looks with particular care to the Chinese People,” he noted. “What is required now is unity, is trust and a new impetus; to have good Pastors, recognized by the Successor of Peter – by the Pope – and by the legitimate civil Authorities.”
It was also announced Sept. 22 that Pope Francis has established a new diocese in China, “the Diocese of Chengde,” as a suffragan diocese of the See of Beijing, for “the pastoral care of the Lord’s flock and to attend with greater efficacy to is spiritual good.”
Full story at Catholic News Agency.
Since the Communist Chinese select from their pre-approved lists, there is no point for Vatican approval. They will be beholden to the Chinese government.
Besides, since these bishops have the power to ordain priests, the priests would be beholden to tthe Chinese government.
We, therefore, must pose the following question:
WHAT ASSURANCE DO WE HAVE THAT THESE BISHOPS AND PRIESTS IN CHINA WILL UPHOLD AND HONOR THE SEAL OF THE CONFESSIONAL?
EXACTLY. I have wondered about that.
More to wonder:
Has the Holy See abandoned Cdl. Zen?
Some clever smart aleck said that now that Pope Francis is letting the Chinese government choose bishops in China, Francis should let President Trump pick bishops for the U.S.
That smart aleck was probably a writer for Eye of the Tiber. President Trump does not look half bad in that gold miter and gold vestments. (Just joking of course.)
Got to get some humor out of all this, or we would be in tears all the time. Better to “go to the scaffold” like St. Thomas More — making jokes. As Hymie said, “Sum Tin Wong.”
Sum TING Wong.
My error. That does sound better.
Like McCarrick, here is Francis “overruling” Benedict again.
It feels like one must be a Marxist or a same-sexer (maybe they are thhe same thing?) to enjoy favor with the Holy Father these days.
A very stupid, tragic mistake! Will the Pope end up making this same mistake, in other hostile, anti-Christian, anti-Catholic countries, too??
There are now the Catholic Church and the Francis Church.
“Illicitly Ordained” What about the SSPX ???
Joe D; I believe the SSPX is vital to Tradition until Vatican II is flushed down the toilet.
I agree. I was giving another example of how hypocritical some church leaders are.
Bingo! Good connection there. If there are folks out there hemming and hawing about “illicitly” ordained government-approved clergy in China, they ought to hem and haw about “illicitly” ordained SSPX clergy as well.
I must be getting old, I remember, when ‘Is the Pope Catholic?’ was a rhetorical question.
After spending over 1000 years trying to extricate itself from Caesaropapism, it looks like the Church [or shall I say Francis] is once again embracing this model of governance.
History will not look well on this decision.
This decision by the pope makes sense if you realize the operating premise is not that the church is a supernatural institution with supernatural aims. The operating premise is that the church is a political institution whose purpose is to advance neo-Marxist ideology, expand its foothold and enrich the ruling party (bishops, cardinals, pope) on the backs of the bourgeois (laity). This decision secures the church a foothold in China and a Communist ally. It all makes sense, really. You just have to stop thinking that the top people in the church take Catholic faith seriously. It’s a front.
How is this different from Pope Benedict XVI’s recognition of the illicitly ordained SSPX Bishops, including one who is a holocaust denier? Conservatives hailed the action by Pope Benedict XVI as a bold move to unify the Church. Now, these same conservatives are attacking Pope Francis for a very similar action. So are the conservatives truly Catholic or just blind conservatives?
Mikhail,
One major difference is that one case creates caesaropapism and the other case does not.
Also, was it Benedict or was it Francis who recognized the SSPX bishops?
What do you mean by recognized?
Benedict lifted their excommunication-a very controversial decision as they had not repented.
Seems like the Holy Father and his willing accomplices within the Vatican, particularly the Secretariet of State are playing “fast and loose” with the souls of Chinese Catholics.
As fast and loose as the cocaine homo orgies in Vatican apartments. Yes, one was actually busted about a year ago and the monsignor ruined his chance at becoming a bishop because he was caught.
I read about that incident. Point well-made!
Steve: it was Pope Benedict XVI himself who recognized the illicitly ordained SSPX Bishops, including the notorious Holocaust denier, Bishop Richard Williamson. Pope Benedict XVI later claimed he was unaware of Williamson’s views on the Holocaust. What an embarrassment!
“Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”
Every bishop in the Catholic Church ( including the Eastern Catholic Churches) has a distinct and traceable line of legitimate episcopal succession going back to the Apostles.
Will these “politically approved and appointed” bishops have the same and traceable succession?
Yes. The government forced legitimate bishops to do the ordinations.