A New Pope Must Have a New, Pro-Freedom China Policy
Why did the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) choose this week, during the papal interregnum, to announce the “election” of new Catholic bishops without papal approval, in apparent* violation of their secret agreement with the Vatican?
Reforming the Vatican’s policy on China should be a priority of the next papacy. The current approach is defined by the Vatican’s controversial 2018 agreement with China to share power with Beijing in the appointment of Catholic bishops. It severely compromises the Catholic Church in China and erodes papal religious and moral authority.
On April 30th, members of the Committee on the Present Danger: China (CPDC), the Save the Persecuted Christians (STPC) coalition and other freedom-fighters will launch an initiative aimed at exposing and ending an appalling and closely held agreement between the Vatican and the Chinese Communist Party. The “Reveal the Deal, Repeal the Deal” (RTD2) campaign is designed to educate the cardinals, the bishops, the faithful, and the world about the ongoing damage being done pursuant to and in the wake of that Secret Deal.
A coalition of Catholics is calling on Church leaders to ‘reveal and repeal’ the ‘appalling’ China deal which allows Chinese communist authorities to appoint bishops within the country.
As the Catholic Church—and the world—mourns the death of Pope Francis, reflects on his legacy, and looks to the future with the election of a new pontiff, the Vatican would do well to review its approach to China.
The passing of Pope Francis is an opportunity to take stock of both his legacy and the way forward for the Roman Catholic Church under his successor. Since the Pope is a global moral authority, these matters can touch the lives of all of us, not just Catholics or even Christians alone.
At least ten Chinese Catholic bishops, all Vatican-approved, are currently in indefinite detention, have disappeared or been forced out of their episcopal posts, or are under open-ended investigation by security police. To evade Western sanctions, the Chinese Communist Party uses less bloody and more hidden methods of coercion against these bishops than the show trials and physical torture of the Mao era.
VATICAN CITY, April 28 (Reuters) – Roman Catholic cardinals will meet in a secret conclave to elect the new leader of the global Church starting from May 7, a senior Vatican source said on Monday. The date was decided during a closed-door meeting of cardinals at the Vatican, the first since the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, the source said. The official announcement is due shortly.
