HONG KONG - Church leaders of the undergroundand open Catholic communities in China have generally welcomed a Vatican statement concerning a special meeting on the church in China, but some say it was superficial.
The Holy See Press Office issued the statement on Jan. 20, the sam
e day the two-day summit ended at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI had called the meeting to consider the situation of the Catholic Church in China but did not attend. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's secretary of state, chaired the sessions and about one-third of the attendees were Chinese, including Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun and Auxiliary Bishop John Tong Hon of Hong Kong, Bishop Jose Lai Hung-seng of Macau, and Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, emeritus bishop of Kaohsiung, and Bishop Emeritus Luke Liu Hsien-tang of Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Others came from Vatican offices greatly involved in church in China matters.
The statement says the meeting recognized the uncompromising fidelity of mainland Catholics to the pope and acknowledged that "almost all the bishops and priests are in communion with the supreme pontiff."
The release notes that the Vatican still aims to normalize relations with China, where the number of Catholics has grown. It also says the pope has benevolently decided to send a personal letter to the Catholics in China. Anthony Liu Bainian, vice chairman of Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, told UCA News on Jan. 22 that the statement's point about the Holy See still aiming to normalize its relations with China is "beneficial and constructive to the improvement of Sino-Vatican relations."
Liu also said the statement's mentioning the growth of the China Church "shows the Vatican understands that there is religious freedom in China."
Over the past five to six decades, all Catholic bishops, priests and laity in China never changed their fidelity to the pope, he added – "if not so, it would no longer be the Catholic Church." The fidelity of the China church, Liu further asserted, is not second to any church in Europe or elsewhere.
According to Liu, because the Vatican has diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the church in the mainland has no channel to maintain contact with the Vatican, so "for the sake of survival and evangelization, the China church could not but 'self-elect and self-ordain' its bishops."
An underground priest in northern China told UCA News on Jan. 22 that it is not surprising to see the carefully written and balanced statement concerning the first such summit on the China church during Pope Benedict's pontificate.
In his view, the statement is encouraging for underground Catholics, yet the Holy See takes account of the "open" church when the Vatican statement notes that about almost all bishops and priests are in communion with the pope.
The priest also said he appreciates what Cardinal Zen reportedly confirmed after the meeting, but something not noted in the statement: the establishment of a permanent commission to handle China church affairs. The priest said this reflects Holy See's concern about the complex China church situation.
Those involved in the commission should, like Cardinal Zen and Bishop Tong in Hong Kong, know the China church well, the same priest said.
However, another underground church leader in northern China told UCA News recognizing the fidelity of underground Catholics is history, but this may not move them to decide to "surface" or unify them with the "open" community.
An underground priest in southeastern China says he agrees the "superficial" statement will do "very little" to foster reconciliation between the two church communities. He told UCA News on Jan. 22 the Holy See's lack of a clear stance on the situation "gives some people a chance to fish in troubled waters."
More than 10 other Catholics – bishops, priests and lay leaders – in China told UCA News that "the Holy Spirit has been working." The openness and willingness of church officials at various levels to frankly and actively engage in discussion have boosted their spirits, they said.
They also told UCA News on Jan. 22 the statement's encouraging and assuring words, especially the pledge to continue "constructive dialogue," have dispelled their worries. Many added that they hope China and the Vatican will eliminate all misunderstanding and avoid conflict, because "hatred and a cold-war mindset are the greatest barriers to establish trust."
Besides intensified dialogue, they said, the priority of both parties should be to boost friendship and trust, and to create a smooth and effective channel for diplomatic negotiation. In their view, establishing diplomatic ties can be meaningful only when there is a strong and mature China church.
They pointed out that the church needs to consider three urgent issues when it begins negotiating with China: (1) readjust and integrate dioceses, because the church must respect China's current administrative geographical structures; (2) once diocesan domains are settled, bishops should be chosen as soon as possible for the sake of stability; and (3) reconcile and solidify the two Catholic communities completely to end the current split.
Bishop Vincent Zhan Silu of Mindong, Fujian province in southeastern China, told UCA News on Jan. 22 the statement shows the Holy See fully recognizes the China church's past experiences and present endeavors, and both "open" and "underground" Catholics are unalterably loyal to the pope's primacy.
"The Holy See can rest assured about the faithfulness of the China church," he asserted.
The government-recognized prelate said he hopes the Holy See can "adequately understand and allow some space" for Chinese clergy who have not achieved communion with the pope. He said he would prefer to see the Vatican have a flexible and communicative approach adapted to China's culture and social environment so as to work effectively for the church's rights and interests.
In Hong Kong, church-in-China observer Kwun Ping-hung told UCA News Jan. 21 the statement is "neutral" in a sense. By mentioning both the "underground" and "open" communities, the statement vividly shows that the conditions for reconciliation are mature, he said, and what remains to be resolved is formulating measures to deal with "technical" matters of reconciliation.
Given what the statement contains, Kwun said he expects reconciliation efforts will be strengthened, and concrete measures will be employed to resolve the question and quicken the reconciliation process. In his view, the statement also shows the Vatican has greater confidence in negotiations.
Kwun said the statement handles illicit ordinations in a low-key manner, and this shows the mainstream view of the meeting participants was to adopt a more "neutral" approach toward such cases.
Anthony Lam Sui-ki, senior researcher of Hong Kong diocese's Holy Spirit Study Centre, told UCA News on Jan. 22 that the "balanced" statement shows the Vatican is willing to put greater effort and resources into the China church, since it realizes the issue of China church affects the universal church.
Lam, who was doing research in Rome when the Vatican meeting was taking place, said he welcomes the setting up of a permanent commission on China and believes it will boost the cooperation of Vatican offices on China affairs.