The empty chair onstage in the Oslo
municipal hall makes me remember the two empty chairs in the Synodal
Hall, when in 1998, for the first time, I participated in the Synod of
bishops: one was for Bishop Duan Ying Ming of Wan Xian, the other for
his Coadjutor Bishop.
Still for the Synod of two years ago, a delegation
from China was not possible, because someone had insisted to include in
the group an illegitimate bishop. In the Synod of 1998 I
said: "In China there is no real religious freedom." Unfortunately, last
month at the Consistory of November 19, I had to give the same bad news
to my brethren Cardinals: "In China there is still no religious
freedom."
The Eighth Assembly of the Representatives of the Chinese Catholics
was "victoriously" successful, as “victoriously successful” was the
preventing of Liu Xiaobo from going to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Are our leaders are truly proud of similar "victories"? The fact that
China has become an economic power, allows them to ignore so shamefully
the human rights? Those who bow to you for business interests, do they
respect you in their hearts? Wake up! Please, save a little the dignity
of our great nation, famous for its ancient civilization and its refined
etiquette.
The Pope, in his letter to the Church in China in 2007, has gently
explained the nature of the Catholic Church, which is recognized by all
civilized nations of the world (see Letter of the Pope, Chapter 9,
Paragraph 3).
The Catholic Church is founded by Jesus on the Apostles
headed by Saint Peter and today must be guided by the Pope, the
successor of Peter and by the bishops, the successors of the Apostles.
Therefore, the so-called democratic leadership of this Church through an
Assembly that stands above the bishops is contrary to the nature of the
Church (see Letter of Pope, Chapter 7, Paragraphs 1, 3, 5, 6, 7).
Even
some academics in China are of the opinion that it is time to correct
this peculiar Chinese Church system so unusual in the complex of the
universal Church, so that the Church in China can have those
characteristics enjoyed by the universal Church (see the Annual Report
on the Religions of the year 2010 by the Academy of Social Sciences in
China).
It is incomprehensible how the Central Government has allowed to
happen what should not have ever happened again. This destructive action
can only create an impasse and so leave those with benefits gained to
continue to enjoy them.
The police, that should defend the safety of the
people, has used violence to curb religious freedom and restrict
personal freedom. This is a disgrace to our country. This fascist style
and these brigand manners are diametrically opposed to the declared
policy of a harmonious society. Therefore, what happened was a defeat
for our Government.
Was there also a defeat for the Church since so many bishops,
priests, nuns and faithful took part in the Assembly? We cannot say no.
We are not like that clerk of the Congregation for the Evangelization of
Peoples or like Fr. Jeroom Heyndrickx who, even after the Chende
episode, still says that those bishops who attended the illegitimate
ordination of a bishop are heroes, are winners.
Of course, we all know that there has been enormous pressure. But the
fact is that the Letter of the Pope was not respected and that the
Press Release of the Commission for the Church in China has not been
taken into account. Where did the strength of faith go?
The Holy Father
has repeatedly said that we must be ready to accept the provisional
defeat, to maintain the faith without compromises, and that the
suffering accepted for faith will lead to real victory. These words of
Holy Father have been forgotten?
On December 1, that is, after the events of Chengde and before the
Assembly, during the Angelus, the Pope said that we must pray Our Lady
Help of Christians... to support the bishops in China, so that they may
bravely testify to the faith and put their hope in the Savior whom we
expect.
The Savior whom we expect not only refers to the
coming Christmas this year, but also to the Savior who will come on the
clouds of heaven to judge humankind. But perhaps our bishops and priests
did not have the opportunity to hear these words...
At this point that clerk of the Congregation for the Evangelisation
of peoples and Fr. Heyndrickx will say to me: "You, sitting comfortably
on your sofa, you allow yourself to solemnly pronounce judgment on these
your brethren." No, it is not true. I know I represent countless
priests and faithful in China, of both the official and the underground
communities.
They are shocked, saddened, and bewildered. The wonder:
"What has become our Church?"
There is a priest who expressed himself
thus on Internet: "Father Heyndrickx, we are not winners. We are
sufferers. Keep to yourself your beautiful desires. I, as a priest in
the front-line, I find suffering everywhere. Your wishes are built on us
suffering priests. The larger your desires, the bigger our sorrows.
It’s just like that."
In this situation where the police unleashed its wicked force and the
news are hermetically closed, we do not know when the Holy See will
have purged the truth and will pronounce a judgment. We can only pray
that the Lord give us wisdom. In any case, please, do not do the same as
in the case of the installation of Bishop Francis An Shu Xin of
Baoding, when on which still nothing hasn't been said.
In the Pope’s book The Light of the World, published on 23
November, there is a passage that can help us in our reflection. When
the reporter asked the Holy Father: "When you go deep into history, is
not there a feeling of shock and sadness at the thought of how much and
how often the Church has deviated from the main road, indicated to her
by the Son of God?"
The Pope answers: "At this time marked by scandals,
we did experience this feeling of sadness and pain, seeing how miserable
is the Church and how easily its members can fail in the following of
Jesus Christ. The first thing is that this we have to experience this
for our mortification, for our genuine humility. The second thing is
that, despite this, He does not abandon the Church. He, despite the
weakness shown in the Church by her members, raises up in her the Saints
and thus manifests His presence."
In the mystery of the Mystical Body, let us share the burden of
defeat. Perhaps we should recognise that we have not supported
sufficiently with prayer our brothers and sisters in so serious
difficulties. Then, let us do penance with them!
Lord, come and do not delay!
SIC: AN/INT'L