He lived in Hong Kong in the Vatican diplomatic headquarters in the years when Deng Xiaoping was opening China up to the Western world. After his position as Substitute to the Secretary of State, Cardinal Fernando Filoni, who was formerly also Nuncio in Iraq and then the Philippines, now leads the great dicastery that manages the Church’s activities in mission territories.
In an interview with Italian monthly magazine “30 Giorni”, Filoni spoke about the relations between the Holy See and the Beijing government.
Regarding the existing rifts among Chinese Catholics, the cardinal stated: “The division did not come about as a result of ecclesiastical dynamics but of historical and political circumstances. It was a situation of suffering and hardship. There was a need to help the Church in China, both the so-called underground Church and the section incorrectly termed patriotic, to look at the situation from a different angle.”
The two ecclesiastical communities, he added, “will find themselves again united in Christ.”
The two ecclesiastical communities, he added, “will find themselves again united in Christ.”
Filoni also focused on the delicate question of bishops’ appointments in China.
“People need to stop seeing bishops as officials. If this mindset is not overcome, everything will remain conditioned by a political vision. Certain criteria need to be met in order for someone to become a party or government official. The criteria used to select a bishop are different. And these differences must be respected. So what we ask for everywhere, not just in China, is that bishops are good bishops, worthy of the task they are entrusted with.”
“People need to stop seeing bishops as officials. If this mindset is not overcome, everything will remain conditioned by a political vision. Certain criteria need to be met in order for someone to become a party or government official. The criteria used to select a bishop are different. And these differences must be respected. So what we ask for everywhere, not just in China, is that bishops are good bishops, worthy of the task they are entrusted with.”
The Prefect of Propaganda Fide explained that “naturally, bishops are also citizens of their own country and as such must be loyal towards their country and render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. As successors of the apostles, they are required to be completely faithful to the Church’s doctrine. This is not an “order” of the Pope. It is the faithful above all who ask this. At the end of the day it is the faithful who judge the suitability and dignity of their bishops.”
Filoni reiterated that “the Church is a place of communion.”
“It is essential – he stated – for bishops, priests, clerics and faithful to also help the apostolic See in its relations with civil and political entities, by pointing out evaluation criteria. The only thing that should not be done is to separate Peter’s successor – and his collaborators – from the bishops of the local Church, or the bishops from God’s people, or set them against one another.”
“It is essential – he stated – for bishops, priests, clerics and faithful to also help the apostolic See in its relations with civil and political entities, by pointing out evaluation criteria. The only thing that should not be done is to separate Peter’s successor – and his collaborators – from the bishops of the local Church, or the bishops from God’s people, or set them against one another.”
The cardinal also recalled his experience in Iraq during the 2003 conflict.
“The war – he said outright – was wrong in itself. Democracy cannot come of war. At the time the conditions were right for a negotiation. Saddam had also communicated to me that this was his wish. But as is the case with all leaders, particularly in the Arab world, if you wanted to negotiate with him, you had to make sure you did not humiliate him. The situation was not understood. Christians suffered injustices along with the rest of society under the regime. But in order to maintain internal peace, the regime at least protected people’s freedom of worship. The war was not justified from a political or international justice point of view. Because Iraq had not intervened when the September 11 attacks took place. And the question regarding the weapons of mass destruction was a pretext.”
“The war – he said outright – was wrong in itself. Democracy cannot come of war. At the time the conditions were right for a negotiation. Saddam had also communicated to me that this was his wish. But as is the case with all leaders, particularly in the Arab world, if you wanted to negotiate with him, you had to make sure you did not humiliate him. The situation was not understood. Christians suffered injustices along with the rest of society under the regime. But in order to maintain internal peace, the regime at least protected people’s freedom of worship. The war was not justified from a political or international justice point of view. Because Iraq had not intervened when the September 11 attacks took place. And the question regarding the weapons of mass destruction was a pretext.”
“The war had obviously already been decided – Filoni concluded – and even at the time people knew that chaos was to follow. The war did not only destabilise the small Christian community. This is still evident today.”