“I call on the Holy Father not to renew the Agreement with China, because this could thre-aten the survival of the Church in China, driving us onto the path of despair,” writes Benedict, an underground Catholic in northern China. He and Fr John, a priest in northern China, have added their voices to AsiaNews‘s investigation into the situation of the Church in China a few months before the provisional agreement between China and the Holy See comes to an end.
Benedict’s bitter cry is complemented by the clergyman’s sober thoughts. The latter says he understands the motive behind the pontiff’s move, which is to show mercy towards the priests and bishops in the official Church, who are caught between the need to show obedience to the regime and their allegiance to the Church.
Two other elements emerge from these two stories. The first one is that the state’s repression against the Church is directed towards other religions as well, in particular Protestants. The second is that the crackdown is not uniformly applied across this vast country. Fr John notes that government officials, following their conscience, have protected the freedom of some communities, at their own risk and peril.
“In my opinion, Sino-Vatican talks and negotiations reflect the Pope’s concern and care for the Church in China. He has tried every way possible to break the chains that tie our bodies and hearts. For some, this makes sense because they no longer have to endure the problems of [legal or illegal] consecration or sacramental communion caused by China.”