Vatican giving in to China

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

For years, the Vatican has excommunicated who ever the Chinese had chosen to lead their churches.... Now the following article from BBC reflects Vatican willingness (like other nations) to work with the Chinese.

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Vatican welcomes new China bishop
The Vatican has praised the man set to become the new bishop of Beijing, even though he was not selected by the Pope.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, said Father Joseph Li Shan was "very good, well-suited".

Father Li was nominated to the post by members of the Beijing diocese earlier this week and still needs approval from leaders of the state-controlled church.

The Vatican's response will ease fears that the appointment would jeopardise fragile ties with China.

Pope Benedict XVI has been trying to reconcile the divisions between China's Catholics, sending a letter last month urging them to unite.

The country's estimated eight to 12 million Catholics are currently split between the Beijing-approved Patriotic Church and an underground church which remains loyal to Rome.

One of the issues that have divided the Vatican and China is Beijing's insistence that the Patriotic Church has the right to appoint bishops without Rome's approval.

'Positive sign'

Cardinal Bertone said the Vatican had not yet received any official word from the Chinese authorities about Father Li's appointment.

"Normally, they enter into contact with the Holy See... and ask approval. We hope this occurs," he told an Italian news conference, according to the Associated Press.

But he said Father Li's qualities for the job "seem to us a positive sign".

Father Li, in his 40s and priest of a church in Beijing's commercial district, was elected by more than 100 diocesan members on Monday.

His nomination is being submitted to the state-controlled Bishop's Conference for approval.

Father Li told Reuters news agency earlier in the week that he had not been in touch with the Vatican over his nomination.

"It's up to the government to decide," he said. "I haven't considered that [contacting the Vatican], because there are a lot of things that need to be done. There's still a long time."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/6906436.stm

[Anonymous]

LA times ran a similar article I believe either Thursday or Friday. It would seem that the Vatican is taking a more open position to working witht he Chinese. I believe the naming of this obscure Chinese Bishop probably speaks more to how each side is trying to manipulate the other. The Chinese want to seem open to Catholics because hey, Europe, Latina America, and in the only growing Catholic region Afirica thousands are Catholic. Bad realtions with the Vatican could be bad for buiseness in the areas. Thus the party throws the Vatican a bone--here you go Pope, a bishop we think we have a handle on. The Pope in kind accepts. Why not fight it? Simple, Catholicism's numbers are dwindling-as mentioned only real increase int he faithful currently seems to be in Africa, and hey a public face for the Vatican on new China is better than no public face. Besides the rule and order of Catholicism seems to echo the confucist patriarchal order and structure bit--whereas evangelical Christians could be rogue elements. End story: let in Jesus, but control the speaker through diplomatic channels.

[Anonymous]

I find it all fascinating, really. The idea that the Vatican is willing to compromise right now because of its dwindling numbers is exactly what I was thinking. They need the numbers. I could imagine that China could use some good press right about now too. All the talk about the bad food and no way of really checking on it. I know people that are trying to buy as little as they can from China. The scary part is she couldn't do what she wanted. That was to eliminate buying Chinese. She couldn't do it.

Americans are getting scared. The Catholics might be able to help

[Anonymous]

I don't know that the reason the Vatican accpeted the unapproved bishop was because of dwindling numbers. For one the numbers are not that low, but more importantly, conservative Catholic leaders, especially ones as conservative as Benedict don't really give a lot of breaks when it comes to doctrine, or church rules. They usually stick to their guns, and claim that a strong church does not change just because current polictis or current trends asks them to.

[Anonymous]

An interesting point. Benedict is quite conservative, but he did inherit a rather progressive form of Catholicism left by John Paul. While not exactly liberal, John Paul went about beatifying many a believer. His canonization of over 280 saints was the single greatest beatification effort in over 400 years. Many of those he selected came from lands at the Catholic margin. Clear evidence to me that as ever increasing pressure from evangelical Christians, and to a lesser extent Islam and Buddism, compete for the souls of a dwindling number of undecided or yearnful persons who are in search of spiritual meaning.

By accepting even an unproven Bishop, Benedict gets his foot in the door in China. He gets license to operate more openly, and is following proper confucian edicts--ritual propriety goes far, and he is no dumby. Church numbers must increase if the Church hopes to maintain its current numbers fifty years from now. Acting too conservative and out of line with the semingly liberal period of John Paulian leadership could prove costly for Benedict. Just look at what has happened to the Episcopal Church in the past year or two. Modern social and political issues prove to be very devisive if not handeled well. I believe Benedict took what he could, something is always better than nothing. It is not in his benefit to appear hard line when I believe it is pretty clear, while Cotholicism has not lost its appeal to the marginalized, it is losing ground in developed nations such as the US. Priest, and Sister numbers are down by over 75% from forty years ago, and every year fewer and fewer of us attend mass with any regularity.

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