It should be a matter of concern to more than Catholics that the Vatican is considering an agreement with Beijing that would give the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) effective control over all Roman Catholics in mainland China and Hong Kong.
Presently, there are two communities in China with the word “Catholic” in their name. One is named the Catholic Patriotic Association (CPA) and is led by “illegitimate” bishops appointed by the Chinese government with neither input nor approval from the Vatican. The CPA toes the line for a government that, among other things, forbids all attempts at evangelization. As Cardinal Joseph Zen put it, “The official bishops are not really preaching the gospel. They are preaching obedience to Communist authority.”
Read Full Article »