The decision by the Vatican and the Chinese government to agree to a two-year extension of the 2018 agreement on the appointment of bishops continues to fester internationally. The United States, Taiwan, and Catholic conservatives have expressed either dissatisfaction or reservations about the Vatican’s decision.
The agreement has never been made public since it was signed, and there is no way to know what the details are, other than that the parties may have made some kind of arrangement regarding the episcopal appointment process.
When the Vatican signed the agreement in 2018, it expressed the hope that it would contribute to unity within the Catholic Church in China. For the past 70 years, China’s officially-backed faction has been at odds with the underground Catholic Church, which is loyal to Rome.
Responding to criticism that Pope Francis has betrayed the underground Catholic Church in China over the issue, the Holy See said the agreement is necessary to prevent further schisms in the Chinese Church.
The appointment of bishops has long been a thorny issue in the Vatican’s relations with Beijing. The Vatican insists that the Pope has the divine right to nominate bishops, a practice that Beijing sees as a violation of China’s sovereignty.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular press conference Thursday (Oct. 22) that “after friendly consultations, China and the Vatican have decided to extend the provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops for two years.”
Zhao Lijian said, “The two sides will continue to maintain close communication and consultation and continue to promote the process of improving relations.”
The Holy See also issued a concise statement on the matter. The statement said: “The Holy See believes that, thanks to the good communication and cooperation between the two sides on the matters agreed upon, the initial implementation of the agreement is positive and of great ecclesiastical and pastoral value. The Holy See also wishes to seek to contribute, through open and constructive dialogue, to the life of the Catholic faithful and to the interests of the Chinese people.”
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry has expressed reservations about the Holy See’s decision. Taiwanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ou Chiang-an said Thursday that the Taiwanese government’s position remains that the agreement on the appointment of bishops should help solve the problem of religious persecution in China. However, Ou noted that in the two years since the agreement was signed, the situation of religious freedom and human rights in China has continued to deteriorate, with Catholics being persecuted even more harshly by Chinese authorities.
In a statement issued Thursday, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said, “We highly value this solemn commitment of the Holy See,” and that “as a country that fully respects religious freedom, Taiwan hopes that this agreement will help improve China’s growing problem of religious freedom.”
The statement noted that the situation of religious freedom and human rights in mainland China has continued to deteriorate, and that underground Catholics have been more severely persecuted. Many bishops have been forced to join the Communist-controlled Patriotic Association, and Chinese Catholics face serious threats to their freedom of worship.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that it will closely monitor the situation and continue to promote cooperation with the Vatican and the Catholic Church to jointly defend the core values of religious freedom.
The United States has taken a negative position on the matter. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made it clear during his visit to the Vatican last month that the United States is not in favor of the Vatican’s renewal. He urged the Vatican to join the United States in condemning the Chinese government’s repressive actions against ethnic minorities, including Catholics.
Some observers have suggested that one of the greatest frustrations with the Vatican in the West, both in political and religious circles, is that it rarely speaks out against China’s crackdown on religious freedom and human rights abuses, let alone publicly condemns Beijing’s actions. Even during the protests in Hong Kong, which lasted six months, the Vatican did not take a clear position.
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