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China, new rules: Catholic retreats and gatherings are banned China, no more retreats, no private religious gatherings for young Catholics, in schools, in universities, as well as in the parishes in ...

While criticizing the US Mons. Sorondo believes that the Chinese communist dictatorship is the one that best carries out the social doctrine of the Church According to Andres Beltramo at the Vatican Insider, Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Sciences, assured that "at this moment, the Chinese people are the ones who best realize the social doctrine of the Church."

In a strongly worded statement, the outspoken clergyman said he did not need sympathy and would continue to speak his mind without fear while he still could. Zen, a prominent pro-democracy activist, caused a stir last month after he revealed in a Facebook post details of his trip to the Vatican, where he met Pope Francis to discuss his worries about the faithful being suppressed by Beijing.Vatican rebukes retired Hong Kong cardinal after remarks on ‘selling out’ of Chinese Catholics After expressing concern at the Vatican’s request for two mainland Chinese bishops to step down and make way for Beijing-sanctioned...

Chinese Bishops Illegitimate, Official, Clandestine… Which Ones Francis Is Rewarding and Which He Is Not To judge from what is happening in China, from the sortie of Cardinal Joseph Zen Zekiun, from the Vatican’s reply, from the interview with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and from the words of Pope Francis to Zen, an accord between the Holy See and the authorities of Beijing on the appointment of the bishops would seem to be in the home stretch:> China and the Vatican are close to a groundbreaking agreementThe two dioceses, in fact, in which the controversy was ignited, those of Shantou and...

The Parolin Interview: A Master of Double Talk Confirms the Pending Betrayal of the Catholics of China by Christopher A. Ferrara February 1, 2018 As Cardinal Zen publicly protests the plot to compel true Catholic bishops in China to resign in favor of illicitly consecrated puppets of Beijing who belong to its communist-controlled pseudo-church, the Catholic Patriotic Association (CPA), the Vatican has ramped up its public relations offensive in favor of the planned betrayal.  This includes an interview with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, just published in Vatican Insider. We have here a master of Vatican double-talk at...

In several decades of living in Washington, D.C., I’ve met my share of scamps and scalawags, fabulists and outright liars. It would take a modern Dante to determine which circle of Inferno each type of misbehavior merited. But of one thing, I am certain: at least in my own experience, I’ve never encountered more brazen and manipulative liars than Communist Chinese officials responsible for relations with religious believers. Which is what makes it so disturbing that last week reports surfaced that the Vatican asked two underground Chinese bishops, loyal to Rome, to step aside in order to allow two bishops...

An accord between the Vatican and China on the appointment of bishops is ready and could be signed in a few months, a Vatican source told Reuters (February 1). According to the deal, the Vatican will "have a say in negotiations for the appointment of future bishops". The Vatican source admitted that “suffering will continue” (but not for those in the Vatican), adding that after the agreement “we will still be like a bird in a cage but the cage will be bigger.” The Vaticanista Francis Rocca reported (February 1) that Pope Francis decided to accept seven regime bishops appointed...

Taiwanese lawmakers seek audience with Pope Francis Five Taiwanese politicians plan to visit the Vatican, Italy and Greece. They are concerned that the possible recognition of unlawful bishops might lead to a diplomatic crisis. The People's Republic of China and the Vatican differ on many things, especially religious freedom, says Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anna Kao. Taipei (AsiaNews/Agencies) – A small group of Taiwanese parliamentarians is trying to have an audience with Pope Francis, worried about the diplomatic fate of the island nation after the Vatican recently seems to have taken steps towards the possible recognition of some unlawful bishops accepted...

Pope Francis has decided to accept the legitimacy of seven Catholic bishops appointed by the Chinese government, a concession that the Holy See hopes will lead Beijing to recognize his authority as head of the Catholic Church in China, according to a person familiar with the plan. For years, the Vatican didn’t recognize the bishops’ ordinations, which were carried out in defiance of the pope and considered illicit, part of a long-running standoff between the Catholic Church and China’s officially atheist Communist Party....

Several signals (including opaque operations, actual political manipulations, and even sabotage) indicate that important developments may occur in contacts between the Holy See and the Government of the People's Republic of China. The time is right to listen to an authoritative word, which will help to grasp what the Pope and the Holy See really have at heart. And with our Chinese brothers and sisters in mind, help to dispel suspicions and artificial fumes, to look at the ecclesial heart of the whole question, outside politicized narratives. For this reason, Vatican Insider interviewed Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of...

China’s leading prelate, Cardinal Joseph Zen, is sounding the alarm that the Vatican "is selling out the Catholic Church in China​"  and that it is "giving the blessing on the new...schismatic Church" created by the Communists.  "So, do I think that the Vatican is selling out the Catholic Church in China? Yes, definitely, if they go in the direction which is obvious from all what they are doing in recent years and months," the 86-year-old retired Bishop of Hong Kong wrote in a Jan. 29 letter addressed to “Friends in the Media,” in which he confirmed a report that the...

Vatican denies rift between Pope and advisers over China by Staff Reporter posted Tuesday, 30 Jan 2018 Pope Francis pauses while answering questions from journalists aboard his flight from Lima, Peru, to Rome (CNS photo/Paul Haring) The Vatican has implicitly criticised Cardinal Zen's account of the Pope's relations with a Vatican delegation in ChinaThe Vatican has issued a statement contradicting Cardinal Joseph Zen’s account of the Pope’s relationship with his collaborators on China.Cardinal Zen wrote an open letter saying that Pope Francis had indicated in a private audience that he was opposed to the replacement of ‘underground’ Chinese bishops with...

Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun commented on the news that the Vatican asked two Chinese diocesan bishops to retire in order to be replaced by two regime bishops, “For many years we were told to resist, to be faithful, now we are told to capitulate.” Talking to La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana (January 26) Zen stated that if the Vatican orders a capitulation, some will give in after years of fight and privations, “To capitulate is easy.” But, “There will be those who will continue to resist.” For Zen it is not a progress to force everybody to enter the...

Underground Church as a pawn in China’s political game, a thorn in the side of the Holy See Lay and clerical members of the official and underground Church speak about the Vatican’s decision to force out recognised underground bishops in favour of bishops approved by the Chinese government. A source of sadness, anger, and distress, some warn that in so doing the underground Church is forsaken, as the Holy See puts the whole Chinese Church in the hands of political power. Despite everything, people hold to obedience and hope. Rome (AsiaNews) – The fate of the underground Church, China’s unsanctioned...

Vatican Delegation Demands Resignation of Two Catholic Bishops in Favor of Schismatic Puppets of Beijing by Christopher A. Ferrara January 24, 2018 Almost daily, a new scandal erupts from the Vatican. The situation has become so outrageous that now even decidedly mainstream journals such as The Catholic Herald are pulling no punches in telling the truth about the increasingly alarming course of this pontificate. Thus, the Herald now unsparingly reports the revolting news that “The Holy See has reportedly asked two Chinese bishops to stand aside to make way for illicitly ordained, Chinese government-backed counterparts.” Note well: a mainstream Catholic...

Hong Kong Diocese; Joseph Zen , second from left, holding staff (By Wikimedia Commons)TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- Ties between China and the Vatican appear to be getting more complex with recent news that a retired Hong Kong Cardinal made a secret mission to deliver a letter directly to the Pope on behalf of Catholics in China. CNA reports that on Wednesday, Jan. 23 in the Vatican, Hong Kong’s 86 year old Cardinal emeritus Joseph Zen (陳日君) appeared in Saint Peter’s Square, lined up in the cold with other petitioners, seeking to deliver a letter directly into the hands of...

Retired Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen flew from Hong Kong to Rome in order to deliver in “a secret mission” a letter on behalf of Chinese [underground] Catholics to Pope Francis. Although he is a Cardinal, Zen has no direct access to Francis. Therefore the 86-year-old Cardinal had to "line up in the cold" at the General Audience on Wednesday with other petitioners to deliver the letter to Francis, Taiwan News (January 25) writes. Francis promised Zen "to read" the letter.

What to make of Cardinal Parolin's Diplomacy The Vatican has demanded the retirement of one bishop and the demotion of another in the unapproved Catholic Church in China to make room for two bishops who were appointed by the state to the official Church. It is all part of a deal between the Vatican and the Chinese government that has been dear to Secretary of State Parolin, and deplored by figures like Cardinal Zen.  Reading this news reminded me what it’s like to feel rage. Defenders of the deal have been remonstrating with me that the Patriotic Church is now...

Chinese Catholic worshippers wait to receive Communion at the Palm Sunday Mass during the Easter Holy Week at an 'underground' church near Shijiazhuang, Hebei province A Vatican delegation reportedly asked two bishops to stand down as part of a deal with Chinese authoritiesThe Holy See has reportedly asked two Chinese bishops to stand aside to make way for illicitly ordained, Chinese government-backed counterparts.A Vatican delegation asked Bishop Peter Zhuang of Shantou and Bishop Jospeh Guo Xijin of Mindong to retire or accept demotion in order to smooth relations with the Chinese government.Asia News, the outlet of the Pontifical Institute for...

Last December, Mgr Peter Zhuang Jianjian of Shantou (Guangdong) was forced to go to Beijing where "a foreign prelate" from the Vatican asked him to leave his see to illicit bishop Joseph Huang Bingzhang. He had received the same request last October. Mgr Joseph Guo Xijin, ordinary bishop of Mindong, is expected to become the auxiliary or coadjutor of illicit Bishop Vincent Zhan Silu. Sinicizing the Chinese Church means supporting the principle of independence and follow the leadership of the Communist Party. Guangzhou (AsiaNews) – The Holy See has asked Bishop Peter Zhuang Jianjian of Shantou in southern Guangdong province...