Saguaro
12-05-2007, 12:37 PM
BEIJING — Under the twin spires of a granite cathedral in southern Guangzhou, China's state-run Catholic Church on Tuesday ordained its second Vatican-approved bishop within a week, a sign of a possible thaw between Beijing and the Holy See.
Despite the many restrictions that China's communist government places on religious freedom, Catholicism and Christianity in general are booming in the world's most populous country. The appointment of bishops has caused friction ever since China forced Chinese Catholics to sever ties with the Vatican in 1951, when the Holy See established diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Gan Junqiu, 43, was ordained bishop of the diocese of Guangzhou on Tuesday, four days after Lu Shouwang was consecrated in Yichang in Hubei province. Gan, Lu and two other Chinese bishops consecrated in September were approved by the Vatican.
Last year, Beijing unilaterally approved the elevation to bishop of three priests who did not have the Vatican's blessing.
Gan declared his allegiance to the Vatican, a show of loyalty Pope Benedict XVI demanded of Chinese bishops in a letter to all Chinese Catholics released in May. "The appointment of bishops by the pope is the guarantee of the unity of the Church and of hierarchical communion," the pontiff wrote.
At the State Administration for Religious Affairs in Beijing, the arbiter of religious faith nationwide, official Ma Yihong said she was unaware of Gan's pledge of loyalty to the Vatican.
"In China, as in other countries, the priority is to pledge to observe the law of your country," rather than foreign religious authorities, said Ma, who is responsible for Catholic and Christian matters at the ministry. "If the Vatican approves of our choices, then I welcome that. It could lead to an improvement in ties."
The Vatican and Beijing have occasionally communicated privately through intermediaries but have had no direct dialogue. Rome's approval of all four bishops ordained this year is "a good trend," said Liu Bainian, vice chairman of the official China Catholic Patriotic Association, the government body that oversees China's Catholics.
"We in China are choosing the bishops for ordination, and the Vatican now acknowledges and agrees with our choices. This is a trend that is improving relations," Liu said. "We have long hoped to normalize relations, and the only barrier is the Vatican's diplomatic relations with Taiwan."
More than 40 of China's 97 dioceses lack bishops, Liu said. "I am happy we have got another good bishop," Liu said of Gan, whom he called "unassuming and approachable."
Gan's ordination took place 14 months after he was elected by his diocese to be a bishop.
Liu said the delay was not caused by Gan's pledge to the Vatican. "There are many procedures to be followed. In addition, it is normal that all priests and Catholics in China pledge allegiance to God's representatives on earth, and also to love our country and respect its laws," Liu said. There is "no contradiction between China's socialist system and Catholicism in China."
By official count, China's Catholics number 5.5 million — a number growing by more than 100,000 a year with converts, Liu said.
The real number is closer to 12 million, said Anthony Lam, senior researcher at the Holy Spirit Study Center in Hong Kong.
He said up to a third of Chinese Catholics belong to so-called underground churches that do not register with the state and often worship in secret to avoid arrest and persecution by police.
Lam said the ordinations of bishops approved by the Holy See is "a good thing … (but) I doubt it will improve relations much between Beijing and the Vatican. … Each side is doing their own thing, but luckily, they did not contradict or compromise each other."
Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen, a leading Roman Catholic figure in Asia, played down the idea of a breakthrough. "There have been many ordinations of bishops who have had the blessing of the Holy See," he told the Associated Press. "Now, I am pleased to see we are getting back to the trend of previous years
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-12-04-china_N.htm?csp=1
Despite the many restrictions that China's communist government places on religious freedom, Catholicism and Christianity in general are booming in the world's most populous country. The appointment of bishops has caused friction ever since China forced Chinese Catholics to sever ties with the Vatican in 1951, when the Holy See established diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Gan Junqiu, 43, was ordained bishop of the diocese of Guangzhou on Tuesday, four days after Lu Shouwang was consecrated in Yichang in Hubei province. Gan, Lu and two other Chinese bishops consecrated in September were approved by the Vatican.
Last year, Beijing unilaterally approved the elevation to bishop of three priests who did not have the Vatican's blessing.
Gan declared his allegiance to the Vatican, a show of loyalty Pope Benedict XVI demanded of Chinese bishops in a letter to all Chinese Catholics released in May. "The appointment of bishops by the pope is the guarantee of the unity of the Church and of hierarchical communion," the pontiff wrote.
At the State Administration for Religious Affairs in Beijing, the arbiter of religious faith nationwide, official Ma Yihong said she was unaware of Gan's pledge of loyalty to the Vatican.
"In China, as in other countries, the priority is to pledge to observe the law of your country," rather than foreign religious authorities, said Ma, who is responsible for Catholic and Christian matters at the ministry. "If the Vatican approves of our choices, then I welcome that. It could lead to an improvement in ties."
The Vatican and Beijing have occasionally communicated privately through intermediaries but have had no direct dialogue. Rome's approval of all four bishops ordained this year is "a good trend," said Liu Bainian, vice chairman of the official China Catholic Patriotic Association, the government body that oversees China's Catholics.
"We in China are choosing the bishops for ordination, and the Vatican now acknowledges and agrees with our choices. This is a trend that is improving relations," Liu said. "We have long hoped to normalize relations, and the only barrier is the Vatican's diplomatic relations with Taiwan."
More than 40 of China's 97 dioceses lack bishops, Liu said. "I am happy we have got another good bishop," Liu said of Gan, whom he called "unassuming and approachable."
Gan's ordination took place 14 months after he was elected by his diocese to be a bishop.
Liu said the delay was not caused by Gan's pledge to the Vatican. "There are many procedures to be followed. In addition, it is normal that all priests and Catholics in China pledge allegiance to God's representatives on earth, and also to love our country and respect its laws," Liu said. There is "no contradiction between China's socialist system and Catholicism in China."
By official count, China's Catholics number 5.5 million — a number growing by more than 100,000 a year with converts, Liu said.
The real number is closer to 12 million, said Anthony Lam, senior researcher at the Holy Spirit Study Center in Hong Kong.
He said up to a third of Chinese Catholics belong to so-called underground churches that do not register with the state and often worship in secret to avoid arrest and persecution by police.
Lam said the ordinations of bishops approved by the Holy See is "a good thing … (but) I doubt it will improve relations much between Beijing and the Vatican. … Each side is doing their own thing, but luckily, they did not contradict or compromise each other."
Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen, a leading Roman Catholic figure in Asia, played down the idea of a breakthrough. "There have been many ordinations of bishops who have had the blessing of the Holy See," he told the Associated Press. "Now, I am pleased to see we are getting back to the trend of previous years
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-12-04-china_N.htm?csp=1