Posted on 08/23/2022 3:17:41 PM PDT by ebb tide
Two state-sponsored Church bodies in China have elected new leaders during a five-yearly national conference who promised to invigorate the Catholic faithful pastorally in line with the socialist principles of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The three-day 10th National Congress of Catholicism in China ended in Wuhan, the capital of Hebei province in central China, on Aug. 20. Senior officials from the CCP also attended the gathering and delivered speeches.
The meeting attended by some 345 Catholic bishops, clergy, and religious from across China ended with the election of new leaders of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) and the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC), says a report on the BCCCC website.
Archbishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing was elected chairman of the CCPA and Bishop Joseph Shen Bin of Haimen was voted in as the new BCCCC chairman.
The delegates also unanimously accepted the Work Report of the 9th Standing Committee on Church efforts and activities in the promotion of patriotism, socialism, and sinicization in the Catholic Church as outlined by President Xi Jinping.
The new leaders have issued a statement to commit themselves to engaging priests, religious, and laypeople including elders across the country for pastoral evangelization and further promotion of sinicization for “truth, pragmatism and inspiration” to move ahead toward a “bright future.”
"It is important to adhere to the direction of sinicization of Catholicism in China"
Sinicization is a profoundly political ideology that aims to impose strict rules on societies and institutions based on the core values of socialism, autonomy, and supporting the leadership of the CCP.
The statement also highlighted the need for the Catholic Church to implement the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Affairs held last December, and fulfill the requirement of the CCP Central Committee for the Catholic Church in China.
During that conference on Dec. 3-4, Xi stressed the strict implementation of Marxist policies, increased online surveillance, and tightening control of religion to ensure national security.
“It is necessary to unite and lead the priests, elders and faithful to follow Xi Jinping’s thought on socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a ‘New Era,’ continue to hold high patriotism and love for religion, adhere to the principles of independent and self-run churches,” the bishops’ statement said.
The Church leaders said they find it is important to adhere to the direction of sinicization of Catholicism in China to “vigorously strengthen the building of patriotic forces” to realize “the dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
Following the communist takeover in 1949, China severed diplomatic ties with the Vatican.
The communist government formed the CCPA in 1957 to assert control over the Catholic Church. Many Catholics refused to join the state-controlled body and continued to pledge allegiance to the pope and the universal Church.
China has about 12 million Catholics split between patriotic and underground churches, independent researchers say.
For years, the appointment of bishops remained a bone of contention between the CCP and the Vatican with Beijing appointing and consecrating bishops without a Vatican mandate.
In 2018, the Vatican signed a provisional agreement with China for two years over the appointment of bishops, which was renewed for another two years in 2020. The provisions of the agreement have not been made public.
The Vatican reportedly seeks to unite Catholics divided between two churches with the deal, while it gives the Vatican a say to accept or veto bishops selected by Beijing.
Since 2018, six bishops have been ordained with approval from both China and the Vatican. Pope Francis has also recognized seven “illicit bishops” who were ordained without a papal mandate.
And Jorge Bergoglio is well pleased.
Ping
“For under an appearance of patriotism, which in reality is just a fraud, this association [CCPA] aims primarily at making Catholics gradually embrace the tenets of atheistic materialism, by which God Himself is denied and religious principles are rejected.”
-Communism and the Church in China, 1958
Communism is totally incompatible with Catholicism. It lacks respect for human life and human dignity and its emphasis on collectivism erases the individual’s personal relationship with the Son of God. It makes the State, not God Almighty, the final authority on morality. True, Catholic communities share equally among themselves, but do so in the love and spirit of Christ, not at the point of a gun.
Bergoglio is not the Pope. Beware his lies and deceptions. Pray for the true Church in China and around the world.
IF true as this Open Doors website and other said in 2018 then there is big trouble.
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Government authorities in Shanxi, China, are ordering people who receive government assistance to replace religious symbols in their homes, including pictures of Jesus, with pictures of Chairman Mao and President Xi Jinping. Refusal to comply results in the assistance being taken away.
The religious freedom magazine Bitter Winter reported last week that officials in the city of Linfen, Shanxi province, were told in April to inspect and remove religious symbols from the homes of those receiving “social welfare payments” and to replace them with communist leaders. Those who complained would have their payments “annulled.”-Catholic Herald, UK. July 22, 2020.
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Since introducing new religious regulations in February to align “religion with Chinese characteristics,” Chinese President Xi Jinping and his regime continue to tighten their grip on religious rights in the name of unification of the country.
According to the new regulations, religious leaders must “conduct religious activities in the Chinese context, practice core socialist values, carry forward the fine traditions of the Chinese nation, and actively explore religious thought which conforms to the reality in China.”
“Across the country, churches are reportedly facing increasing pressure to align with the Communist Party; including, in some areas, replacing crosses with the national flag and displaying pictures of Xi Jinping.
Perhaps one of the most disturbing regulations is the new announcement in some areas that children are not allowed to attend church services....”
In the west-central province of Jiangx in Xinyu County, all churches have reportedly been ordered to display the national flag, as well as Xi Jinping’s picture and posters on socialist values. Xinyu County government officials also pulled down the cross of Jieken Evangelical Church, as well as many others.
Additionally, children in the area have been forbidden from attending church.—August 30, 2018 by Lindy Lowry
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At the symposium for ideological and political theory teachers held on March 18 in Beijing, President Xi Jinping repeatedly stressed the necessity of cultivating generations of talents that will support the CCP leadership and the Chinese socialist system. This must start with schools, he said, to make young people the successors of communism, with teachers doing everything to prevent the spread of “false ideas and thoughts.”
Directed by their leader, schools and kindergartens throughout China are making sure that the new generation of China is growing imbued sufficiently with the “right ideas and thoughts” of communism and atheism. From Bitter Winter, May 8, 2019.
///////////////Mao said if China can stop children from being part of Christianity then the religion will die out in a few decades on its own.
Communism is atheistic materialism. Apparently the pope hasn’t read Divini Redemptoris which states clearly how communism is incompatible with Christianity, or he wouldn’t be OK with this.
Is it Mao that’s seen on the cross?
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