Speaking at a conference in Rome on 16th-century Jesuit missionary Father Matteo Ricci, Chow emphasised the need for collaboration with China's ruling and intellectual class amid ongoing efforts to "sinicize" the church in China.

Chow (pictured) noted that Ricci, renowned for his ability to bridge Christianity with Chinese culture, succeeded in presenting Christianity as a compatible belief rather than a threat.

"Christianity was not seen as a heresy to Chinese culture, but a novel teaching compatible with Chinese culture."

However, Chow highlighted that the church's later prohibition of ancestor worship led to government suppression as it clashed with a key cultural value.

Under communist rule, particularly in its early years, the Catholic Church faced severe oppression. Efforts to purge Western influences as part of forming a national identity resulted in the church being viewed as foreign. "And unfortunately, the Catholic Church was seen as a part of the Western world" the cardinal explained.

Constructive dialogue

Chow stressed that current efforts to "sinicize" the church require constructive dialogue with China.

"Maybe there is a way that the church in China can really be a Chinese church. If we do it well and pray to the Holy Spirit to enlighten both sides" Chow said. "The Holy Spirit is not restricted to Catholics, and it is open to the truth."

Chow expressed optimism that the Church could harmonise with Chinese culture through prayer and collaboration. He emphasised the importance of maintaining the Church's core beliefs while fostering integration.

"Sinicization is not going to go away" he said. "It is here, so we need to engage in dialogue."

Chow said that beyond discussions about inculturation, "the Catholic Church, as well as the Protestant Church, have always been seen until now as foreign religions". As a result "the government is stepping in to say 'You're going to become a Chinese religion', but of course we may not agree on the same process, so that's why we need dialogue".

Sources

UCA News

CathNews New Zealand

The Vatican portrays this development as a victory for Pope Francis's ongoing efforts to engage with China.

Bishop Shi, 95, has long resisted joining the state-sanctioned church. This led to periods of imprisonment and house arrest.

Despite these challenges, his recognition as bishop comes after years of negotiation between the Holy See and Beijing. It marks the first time since 2005 that the diocese of Tianjin has a bishop accepted by both church and state.

"The Holy See has learned with satisfaction that today, 27 August 2024, Bishop Melchior Shi Hongzhen has been officially recognised under civil law as bishop of Tianjin" a Vatican press office statement said.

"This measure is a positive fruit of the dialogue established over the years between the Holy See and the Chinese Government."

Sinicization of Catholicism

The announcement comes just weeks before the anticipated renewal of a provisional agreement between Rome and Beijing. The agreement regarding the appointment of bishops was initially established in 2018.

The recognition ceremony, held at a local hotel rather than Tianjin's cathedral at Shi's request, was attended by Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing, a figure appointed by the government but also recognised by Pope Benedict XVI.

Reports indicate that during the ceremony, Shi pledged to uphold China's constitution and support the Sinicization of Catholicism. Some critics view this process as a means of increasing governmental control over religious practices.

Although this development is viewed as a success, some sceptics in Rome might dismiss the recognition of a 95-year-old bishop as merely a symbolic gesture.

Meanwhile, some in China argue that the government aims to frame the acceptance of a well-known underground bishop as a victory for the state-controlled Church.

In a recent interview, Pope Francis described Chinese Catholics as "faithful people who have gone through so much and remained faithful".

"The Chinese are masters of patience, masters of waiting, you have the ‘virus of hope" the pope said. "It's a very beautiful thing."

Sources

Crux Now

The Pillar

CathNews New Zealand

Joseph Li, the state-appointed archbishop of Beijing, will take a five-day trip to Hong Kong starting Nov 14 at the invitation of the city's newly appointed cardinal Stephen Chow, according to a statement from the Hong Kong diocese.

Chow made the invitation during his landmark trip to Beijing in April — the first visit to the Chinese capital by the city's bishop in nearly three decades — in a symbolic gesture that experts said could strengthen the fragile relationship between China and the Vatican.

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In an address to bishops, priests, missionaries and pastoral workers, he said Jesus gave no political mandate to his apostles but told them to alleviate the sufferings of a "wounded humanity" through faith.

"For this reason, governments and secular institutions have nothing to fear from the Church's work of evangelisation, for she has no political agenda to advance but is sustained by the quiet power of God's grace and a message of mercy and truth, which is meant to promote the good of all," he said.

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Zhao Lijian (pictured) was responding to complaints from the Vatican that Beijing was violating a 2018 interim accord over bishop appointments.

The Vatican issued an unusually harsh statement on Saturday complaining that Beijing on 24 November had installed Bishop John Peng Weizhao as an auxiliary bishop in the province of Jiangxi, which the Vatican doesn't recognise as a diocese.

"The Holy See noted with surprise and regret the news of the ‘installation ceremony'" of Bishop John Peng Weizhao of Yujiang as auxiliary bishop of Jiangxi, "a diocese not recognised by the Holy See," said the note released by the Vatican on 26 November, two days after the installation of the bishop.

At a briefing on Monday, Zhao said he was unaware of the specific situation involving Peng.

However, he said that relations between China and the Vatican had improved over recent years for the benefit and "harmonious development" of Chinese Catholicism.

"China is willing to continuously expand the friendly consensus with the Vatican side and jointly maintain the spirit of our interim agreement," he told reporters.

In its statement, the Vatican said Peng's installation ceremony took place after "long and heavy pressure from the local authorities.

"In fact, this event did not take place in accordance with the spirit of dialogue," or what is called for by the 2018 accord, the Vatican statement said.

In the past four years, only six bishops have been named and installed under the terms of the agreement.

China and the Vatican haven't had diplomatic relations since 1951, following the Communists' rise to power and the expulsion of foreign priests.

The Vatican has sought in recent years to open contacts and reduce frictions, particularly over the appointment of bishops.

Since the break in ties, Catholics in China have since been divided between those who belong to an official, state-sanctioned church and an underground church loyal to the pontiff.

Estimates of the total number of Chinese Catholics run between 6 million and 12 million worshipping in both the recognised Patriotic Catholic Association and the underground church.

The Vatican's efforts toward reconciliation led to its willingness to sign what it admits is a far-from-ideal accord in 2018, which regularised the status of several bishops and paved the way for future nominations.

Full details of the agreement have never been made public, but Pope Francis has claimed he has the final say in the process.

Under nationalist leader Xi Jinping, the officially atheist Communist Party has pressured all religions to "sinosize," meaning they must closely adhere to its rulings on all matters and reject foreign involvement.

Asia News, a Rome-based missionary news agency, reported that Bishop Peng was secretly ordained bishop of Yujiang with a papal mandate in 2014, which led to his arrest by the country's communist authorities.

He was held in jail for six months and, after his release, was subjected to restrictions on his ministry.

In late September, according to Asia News, Bishop Peng told the priests of the diocese that he had resigned as bishop of Yujiang and accepted the government's plan to integrate five dioceses, including Yujiang, into one, the new Diocese of Jiangxi.

Sources

Crux Now

Catholic News Agency

Catholic News Service

CathNews New Zealand

According to the CathAssist team, "Since the implementation of [new rules] on 1 March, we have made various efforts to apply for an Internet Religious Information Service Licence. We have taken various actions including suspending sharing, changing our name, adjusting content … but getting a licence requires a much larger reduction in functionality and content".

A Catholic from a northern Chinese province said that he had the app for a long time and that it stopped working on 24 August.

Referring to the company running the app, the man said, "[They] worked hard for several months [to get the licence], but in the end they failed, so it has been shut down".

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The three-day 10th National Congress of Catholicism in China ended in Wuhan, the capital of Hebei province in central China, in August. The national conference is held every five years. Senior Communist Party officials also attended the gathering and delivered speeches reported on ucanews.com.

The delegates unanimously accepted the work report of the Ninth Standing Committee on church efforts and activities in the promotion of patriotism, socialism, and sinicisation in the Catholic Church as outlined by President Xi Jinping.

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In an interview with Reuters, Francis discussed the China deal first struck in 2018 and to be renewed every two years.

The agreement was put in place to ease a longstanding divide across mainland China between an underground flock loyal to the pope and a state-backed official church.

Both sides now recognise the pope as the supreme leader of the Catholic Church.

The accord, which is still provisional, centres on cooperation over the appointment of bishops. It gives the pope the final say.

"The agreement is moving well and I hope that in October it can be renewed," Francis said.

There has been some criticism of the accord and not just because the details have been kept private.

One of the deal's most vocal opponents is Cardinal Joseph Zen, 90, the former archbishop of Hong Kong.

"The Vatican may have acted out of good faith but they have made an unwise decision," Zen told a gathering on Hong Kong island last month.

Archbishop Zen prayed for "brothers and sisters who cannot attend the Mass in any form tonight - for they have no freedom now".

Zen and others have accused the Vatican of turning a blind eye to human rights violations in China.

However, Francis defended the agreement as being the statecraft of working with the little available and trying to improve it.

"Diplomacy is like that. When you face a blocked situation, you have to find the possible way, not the ideal way out of it," Francis said.

"Diplomacy is the art of the possible and of doing things to make the possible become a reality," he said.

Only six new bishops have been appointed since the deal, which its opponents say proves it is not producing the desired effects.

The pope called the slow process "'the Chinese way,' because the Chinese have that sense of time that nobody can rush them".

Meanwhile, the European Parliament has urged the Catholic institution to defend religious freedom in Hong Kong, as some Catholics and other religious minorities face growing persecution in the country.

The European Parliament called on the Holy See to "strengthen its diplomatic efforts and its leverage on the Chinese authorities" in a resolution made on July 7.

The EU resolution encouraged the Vatican "to give full support to Cardinal Zen and other religious leaders who face persecution or the risk of detention under the national security regime in Hong Kong".

Cardinal Zen was arrested by Chinese authorities on May 11 alongside four other pro-democracy activists.

The cardinal was released a day later and his trial is expected to take place on September 19. Zen has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The European Parliament called on the Vatican "to demand that all charges against Cardinal Zen be dropped and (for) an end to persecution and human rights violations."

Sources

Reuters

Religion News

Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu of Xinxiang in Henan province was arrested on May 21 last year.

His arrest came a day after police arrested 10 priests and an unknown number of seminarians from a Catholic seminary in the diocese that was set up in an abandoned factory building.

About a year ago, authorities in Xinxiang shut down Catholic schools and kindergartens in line with a government ban on education by religious groups.

All those arrested were accused of violating China's regulations on religious affairs and subjected to "political lessons" in detention, media reports said.

The priests and seminarians were released after brief detention but remain under surveillance, while the seminary is still closed.

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In the eastern province of Zhejiang, a set of Regulations on Centralized Funeral Arrangement are being enforced. These regulations ban priests from attending funeral prayers outside a religious place.

The new rules - enacted in December last year - aim to "get rid of bad funeral customs and establish a scientific, civilized and economical way of funerals," according to the government.

"Clerical personnel are not allowed to participate in funerals" at homes and "no more than 10 family members of the deceased are allowed to read scriptures or sing hymns in a low voice," the rules state.

A source says in villages priests could visit parishioners' homes but could not conduct any religious ceremonies or prayers.

A priest of the open church approved by the state says government officials have asked for the Church to strictly follow the Regulations on Religious Affairs.

"Otherwise there would be penalties. The punishment could even be closing the church and cancelling the priest's priesthood certificate, letting the priest go home," he says.

He did not deny that the situation of the Chinese Church is worrying.

"It has been oppressed to this extent. I only do what I should do, otherwise I cannot face God," he said.

"They don't let me be a priest. If they don't let me go to church, I'll just go underground. Anyway, the church on the ground is now oppressed no differently from the underground. Be restrained."

Communists hold memorial services when they die, he says.

"Why are we Catholics not allowed to hold a ceremony? This is exactly persecution," he wonders

Another open church priest says the government instructions had not come to him so far.

"I still hold sacraments at the homes of dead parishioners. The day before yesterday, I sent a greeting to a church member from home to the cemetery. No one blocked it," he says..

"As a priest, we need to accompany church members to make them feel like everyone is a family. Particularly, baptisms and funerals are very important for families."

Source

• UCA News
• Image: Crux Now

The protest began at 6am Thursday morning at the church in Wu Gao Zhang, part of the Guantao district of Hebei, on the coast of northern China.

Officials have ordered that the church be destroyed even though it is fully recognized and approved by the government. According to the website AsiaNews, local authorities have said the building lacks appropriate permits. Read more

"St. Peter is the leader of the choir, the mouth of the apostles and the head of that tribe, the leader of the world, the foundation of the Church, and the ardent lover of Christ." — St. John Chrysostom

Few issues have plagued China-Vatican relations since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 more than the question papal authority.

China's political leaders remain uncomfortable with foreign leaders exercising power over Chinese citizens, and Chinese Catholics are among the only people in China who submit to an outside power.

In 1951, China's new communist government committed itself to solving the problem of the "foreign pope" by installing a Chinese one. Party officials approached the Vincentian archbishop, Joseph Zhou Jishi, and invited him to be the pope.

Zhou responded that he would be happy to serve as pope, as long as his election was made by the cardinals of the Church in Rome, and that once elected he would live and lead the entire Catholic Church from his papal apartment at the Vatican.

For his answer, Archbishop Zhou was arrested in May 1951, subjected to three "people's trials," and sent to prison.

Since 1949 China's Catholics have struggled to find ways of remaining loyal to the successor of St. Peter that assuage the government's requirement to obey the pope in only "spiritual matters," and not in areas of administration.

This situation has created a painful sense of separation between Chinese Catholics and their spiritual leader in Rome, and an expression of this pain was observed recently during the March 15th general audience with Pope Francis at St. Peter's.

Pope Francis allowed a group Chinese pilgrims to pass through the barrier of Swiss Guards and Vatican carabinieri, approaching him on their knees and sobbing.

These Chinese Catholics passed a few tender moments with the successor of the leader of the apostles. No pope has ever visited China, today he remains forbidden from visiting his flock in the Middle Kingdom.

While one pilgrim performed the traditional Chinese gesture of obedience, the kowtow, another asked him to bless their statue of Our Lady of Fatima.

There are two realities that define China's Catholics: Today they are sustained by their abiding devotion to Jesus Christ, and they are plagued by their abiding struggle to navigate between a political requirement to remain distanced from the pope of Rome and a spiritual requirement to submit to his authority.

Recent events in China highlight the complexities of this situation. Continue reading

Sources

• Catholic World Report article by Anthony E. Clark, an associate professor of Chinese history at Whitworth University.
• Image: New York Times