Vatican, China renew agreement on appointing bishops

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Saying it is succeeded in being registered and committed to “respectful dialogue” thus have had their position made with China’s communist government official, being recognized as bishops and to “fostering the mission of the by public institutions.” Catholic Church and the good of the Many dioceses are still without bish-Chinese people,” the Vatican an- ops or have very elderly bishops, he nounced it has renewed its agree- said, but the process is continuing.ment with China on the appointment of bishops. However, Cardinal Parolin also acknowledged “there are dioceses in The “provisional agreement,” forged which, despite all efforts and good in 2018 and renewed in 2020, has will, no fruitful dialogue exists with been extended for another two years, local authorities.” the Vatican announced Oct. 22. The agreement is still “provisional” The text of the agreement has never because “we are still in the experi-been made public, but Vatican offi- mentation phase,” the cardinal said. cials said it outlines procedures for “As is always the case, such difficult ensuring Catholic bishops are elected and delicate situations require ade-by the Catholic community in China quate time for implementation in or-and approved by the pope before der to then be able to verify the effec-their ordinations and installations. tiveness of the result and identify posIn the past four years only six bishops sible improvements.” have been named and installed under “Pope Francis — with determination the terms of the agreement. and patient foresight — has decided Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secre- to continue along this path, not under tary of state, interviewed by Vatican the illusion of finding perfection in News Oct. 22, noted that the achieve- human rules, but in the concrete hope ments of the agreement also included of being able to assure Chinese Cathothe lifting of the excommunications or lic communities, even in such a comirregular status of seven bishops who plex context, of the guidance of pashad been ordained with government tors who are worthy and suitable for approval, but not the Vatican’s con- the task entrusted to them,” Cardinal sent and, he said, “the first six Parolin said. ‘clandestine’ bishops have also

The cardinal reaffirmed what Pope Francis and Vatican officials have said all along: giving up full control over the choice of bishops is not what the Vatican would have hoped for, but it seemed to be a good first step toward ensuring greater freedom and security for the Catholic community in China. The deal, however, has been criticized by several prominent figures, including by Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, retired archbishop of Hong Kong, who said the agreement would “kill” the unofficial or underground church in China, whose leaders refuse to register with the state-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. Cardinal Parolin told Vatican News that the agreement is not primarily about diplomatic relations with China. Rather, he said, “it mainly concerns aspects that are essential to the daily life of the church in China. I am thinking, for example, of the validity of the sacraments celebrated and the certainty for millions of Chinese faithful that they will be able to live out their faith in full Catholic communion, without thereby being suspected of not being loyal citizens to their country.” Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, whose maternal grandfather was Chinese, told Fides, the news agency of the Dicastery for Evangelization, that in China “historical events had led to painful wounds within the church, to the point of casting a shadow of suspicion on the sacramental life itself. So, there were things at stake that touch the intimate nature of the church and her mission of salvation.” The agreement attempts “to safeguard the valid apostolic succession and the sacramental nature of the Catholic Church in China,” Cardinal Tagle said. “This can reassure, comfort and enliven baptized Catholics in China.” As a byproduct of its dialogue with the Chinese government, he said, “one of the wishes of the Holy See has always been to foster reconciliation, and to see the lacerations and contrasts opened within the church by the tribulations it has gone through, healed. Certain wounds need time and God’s consolation in order to be healed.” The Vatican is not naive, he said. “The Holy See has never spoken of the agreement as the solution of all problems. It has always been perceived and affirmed that the path is long, it can be tiring and that the agreement itself could cause misunderstandings and disorientation.” In addition, the Vatican would not and does not ignore or minimize the suffering and the different reactions of Chinese Catholics to the agreement, he said. The joy of some and the perplexity of others “is part of the process. But one always has to dirty one’s hands with the reality of things as they are.” “Many signs attest that many Chinese Catholics have grasped the inspiration Posters of Chinese President Xi Jinping hang on the wall of the house of a Tibetan Catholic during a Mass celebrated by Father Yao Fei on Christmas Eve in followed by the Holy See in the ongoing process,” he said. “They are grateful and comforted for a process that Niuren village, in China's Yunnan province, in this Dec. 24, 2018, file photo. confirms before all their full commun(CNS photo/Tyrone Siu, Reuters) ion with the pope and the universal church.”❖ ser ve as 'alar m (From Back Page) the choice they have made -marriage or religious life -- driven by desolation, without first pausing to consider this state of mind, and especially without the help of a guide," he said. But a "wise rule" of discernment, he said, is "do not make changes where you are in desolation," but wait until the acute sadness has passed. While moments of sadness are "an experience common to spiritual life," the pope said the path of goodness "is narrow and uphill" and encouraged Christians, especially those who "want to serve the Lord, not to be led astray by desolation." "If we know how to traverse loneliness and desolation with openness and awareness, we can emerge strengthened in human and spiritual terms," Pope Francis said. "No trial is beyond our reach."❖

The general secretariat of the synod chose an international group of laity, religious, priests and bishops to read the submissions, pray about them and then draft a document that would help participants in the next phase reflect on the faith, hopes and concerns witnessed to in the reports. The document was approved by the cardinals and bishops belonging to the synod’s general council. What emerged from the reports, it said, “is a profound re-appropriation of the common dignity of all the baptized. This is the authentic pillar of a synodal church and the theological foundation of a unity which is capable of resisting the push toward homogenization. This enables us to continue to promote and make good use of the variety of charisms that the Spirit with unpredictable abundance pours out on the faithful.” Those who most often feel unwelcome in the church or undervalued, it said, include: women, young people, people with disabilities, the poor, those who are divorced and civilly remarried, single parents, those in polygamous marriages and members of the LGBTQ communities. Responding to experiences of exclusion and discrimination shared by Catholic with disabilities, the document said that “in spite of its own teachings, the church is in danger of imitating the way society casts them aside.” Reflecting the central place of the Eucharist in the life of the church, it said most submissions included a call for greater participation by all Catholics in the liturgy, working to ensure that it is less “concentrated on the celebrant,” involves more young people and women, including in preaching, and is more reflective of local cultures. At the same time, the document also noted that in several reports, including that from the United States, some participants in the local listening sessions “lamented” Pope Francis’ decision to limit celebrations of the Latin-rite Mass according to the rite used before the Second Vatican Council. “The quality of homilies is almost unanimously reported as a problem,” it said. But the document also highlighted a common desire to find solutions to various forms of “sacramental deprivation,” including for people in remote towns and villages without a priest, as well as for civilly remarried Catholics and those in polygamous marriages. While the reports were not “against priests or the ministerial priesthood,” the document said, many of them cited “clericalism” as an obstacle to being a “synodal church,” one where all the baptized share responsibility for the life of the community and for its mission of spreading the Gospel. “Clericalism is seen as a form of spiritual impoverishment, a deprivation of the true goods of ordained ministry, and a culture that isolates clergy and harms the laity,” it said. Clericalism produces “rigidity, attachment to legalistic power and an exercise of authority that is power rather than service.” In synod listening sessions around the world, participants noted that women are the majority of Catholics regularly attending the liturgy and staffing most paid and volunteer parish activities, yet it is mostly men who make the decisions in the church. “Many reports ask that the church continue its discernment in relation to a range of specific questions: the active role of women in the governing structures of church bodies, the possibility for women with adequate training to preach in parish settings, and a female diaconate,” the document said. “Much greater diversity of opinion was expressed on the subject of priestly ordination for women, which some reports call for, while others consider a closed issue.” Between January and March, smaller groups of church representatives are to meet on a continental or regional level; organized by bishops’ conferences, the groups are to include bishops, priests, religious and laypeople to read the document, pray about it and discuss which issues raised it in are most important and urgent for Catholics in their region to address in order to increase participation, a sense of communion and a commitment to missionary outreach. ❖ The document may be accessed at: https://www.synod.va/en/highlights/ working-document-for-the-continentalstage.html