Zen, who is the former bishop of Hong Kong, says the distinction between the underground Church and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association has not been eradicated.

He says 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 says priests of the underground Church have been encouraging their parishioners to skip Mass for their own safety. Read more

As the law forbids minors from entering places of worship, Catholics are "reinventing" their homes as temporary "churches" for services that can include the whole family.

"Each family is continuing its faith activities at home and maintaining its strong bonds with God," says a young Catholic whose parents have helped organise local home churches.

Priests at the house meetings explain church teachings to young Catholics and strengthen their faith amid fears that younger generations will lose their family's traditional belief in Christianity: Beijing views all religions as a threat to its dominance.

Communist Party rules are more strictly observed in Henan province than elsewhere in China. Besides the prohibitions on minors from attending religious studies classes, the provincial government has been gathering data on Christians to monitor their activities.

In Henan:

• Elderly villagers have had to renounce their faith amid threats that their social security benefits will be withheld if they fail to comply
• Civil servants and teachers say their families have been threatened with punishment unless they stop attending services at their parish churches
• Protestant churches in several districts have had their crosses demolished
• A cathedral in Anyang diocese was ordered to remove its cross and hoist the national flag as a sign of patriotism
• Authorities reportedly forced the Anyang diocese bishop and priests to disclose where parishes' religious materials are printed
• Anyang's churches were ordered to remove all posters and other religiously-themed promotional materials
• At least four churches in Nanyang city were raided at dawn last Wednesday,

Practising religion in a clandestine fashion "is becoming a general trend in China now," one mother said. "There's no way to stop it."

Another underground Catholic said the new level of persecution reminded him of the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution which he experienced as a child.

"Now we seem to be returning to that period so our kids will get to experience just how bad things can get."

"Every round of persecution just makes the church stronger and the faithful more determined," he said. "External blows can't destroy one's inner faith."

Source

• La Croix
• VOA
• Image: millennialchristian.com

More than 200 people gathered to voice their concerns over a deal they say will "sell out" faithful Chinese Catholics.

"It's a precarious situation. There's a real danger of division," a priest said.

Those attending the vigil share Hong Kong Cardinal Zen's concerns.

After visiting the Pope in January, Zen said he thought the Vatican is selling out the Catholic Church in China.

In China Catholics are split between those in the "underground" Church who are loyal to the Pope and the government-backed Catholic Patriotic Association. The government association appoints bishops without Rome's approval.

Protesters say the proposed deal would give the Vatican a say in the appointment of Chinese bishops in exchange for recognising ones already appointed by the Chinese government.

A group of Catholics have signed an open letter warning of "schism" if the deal goes ahead.

The letter says the bishops appointed by Beijing "do not have the trust of the faithful, and have never repented publicly.

"We fully understand that the Holy See is eager to be able to evangelize in China more effectively. However, we are deeply worried that the deal would create damages that cannot be remedied," the letter says.

It continues: "If they were to be recognized as legitimate, the faithful in Greater China would be plunged into confusion and pain, and schism would be created in the Church in China."

"We are worried that the agreement would not only fail to guarantee the limited freedom desired by the Church, but also damage the Church's holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity, and deal a blow to the Church's moral power.

"We earnestly ask you, with the love of the people of God, appeal to the Holy See: Please rethink the current agreement, and stop making an irreversible and regrettable mistake."

Source

• Lifesite
• Catholic Herald
• Image: VOA News