Can they wait for the current one to pass away before making odds?
As an outsider to the Catholic church, I do think it would be cool if they picked one of the Bishops from China, a real one, not one the Communist Party appointed. It would send a strong message, I think.
These are the same bishops they trotted out last time.
“As an outsider to the Catholic church, I do think it would be cool if they picked one of the Bishops from China, a real one, not one the Communist Party appointed. It would send a strong message, I think.”
They won’t. The Underground Catholic Church is severely persecuted. Those are the saints and martyrs of this age along with so many others.
Bringing the Patriotic Catholic Church (read State Church) back into the fold is the goal along with protecting the underground. There are many faithful clergy and laity in the State church who need to be given the strength and courage to disavow the Communists, but not now. This is a very slow process, very delicate and very much based on safeguarding as many as can be saved.
There have been several Patriotic Church clergy arrested for not adhering to the Communist line over the past couple of years.
One has to remember that the Chinese Communists will not act with restraint in any manner when threatened.
One young underground priest arrested last January was forced to stand in a water filled cell, no shoes in freezing weather. There are many narratives of brutal beatings and persecution along with murder (execution).
The Catholic Church can move glacially slowly but with reason.
An African priest? Maybe. I’ve known some extraordinarily gifted African priests with great charisms from the Holy Spirit. A reclamation of the American Catholics might come about from their gifts.