In a statement marked by its patronizing language, the Chinese government said that the priests who had been ordained as bishops were “devout in their faith, their integrity and competence,” and the Vatican had hurt the feelings of many Chinese Catholics by refusing to accept the new bishops’ authority. “The majority of priests and believers will more resolutely choose the path of independently selecting and ordaining bishops,” the government insisted.
(Father Bernardo Cervellera of the AsiaNews service remarked that “it is somewhat curious that two of the priests of Catholic Church should need a license in orthodoxy from an association composed of atheist secretaries, led by an atheist Party!”)
The government statement contained what appeared to be a demand: that the Vatican must rescind the “so-called excommunications” of the illicitly ordained bishops in order to allow progress in relations between Beijing and Rome. The Chinese government has previously said that diplomatic relations will be possible only if the Vatican breaks off ties with the government of Taiwan and pledges not to “interfere” in the internal matters of the Chinese Catholic Church.
To be sure, everyone -- EVERYONE -- I meet on the streets here in Shanghai is positively aghast at the response from the Holy See to such a helpful effort on the part of the CCPA. (snicker)
ReplyDeleteWithout doubt, the population was shocked -- SHOCKED -- to see such a denunciation.
Imagine the temerity. To think that any organization (oh, check that, any Foreign Organization) would have the impudence to meddle in what obviously is the internal concern of a great nation is nearly beyond comprehension.
Certainly, no one but the Catholic Church would ever claim such authority over its members.
Who do those Yankee Imperialist dogs think they are?
...What? Not Yankee, you say?
Universal, you say?
...What? Not Imperialist, you say?
Apostolic, you say?
Please, pray for the Catholic Church in China.