Pope Benedict’s letter to Chinese Catholics will be completed around Easter, the AsiaNews service reports.Citing the words of Cardinal Joseph Zen of Hong Kong, AsiaNews reports that the Pope’s message will be carefully worded, designed to promote the possibility of diplomatic progress, but insistent on the need for religious freedom.
Cardinal Zen suggests that the Pope might put forward the “Vietnam model” as a compromise that could represent a step forward in relations between Beijing and Rome.
In Vietnam the government has accepted the Pope’s right to name bishops, provided that the Vatican consults first with Hanoi.
In China the Holy See is determined to preserve the Pope’s right to designate bishops-- a right that is now contested by the Catholic Patriotic Association.
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