Traditionalist Issues
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New Laws for China’s Catholics:
Total Submission to the Communist Party
The West remains astonishingly oblivious to the intensified persecution of Chinese Catholics since the Vatican-Beijing Accord was signed in September 2018. The actual text of the document still remains secret, but it seems clear from its consequences that it was a complete sell-out on the part of the Vatican. The latter handed over rights for the Communist Regime to choose bishops and calls on the Underground Catholic Church to merge with the communist controlled CPA (Chinese Patriot Association).
What have been the consequences? The tragic consequences include:
On the evening of December 31, 2019, a Chinese woman grabbed the Pope's hand on his walk through St. Peter's Square and begged him help for Chinese Catholics who "are losing the Faith." He became furious and slapped her twice harshly to free himself from her grip.
Her abrupt, desperate action was captured on film and went viral on the social media, but at first her words were unreported. She was presented by news reports as being just a delirious fan who abused the poor feeble Pope.
Recently a few organs have admitted the truth of the story and vindicated the urgent action of the courageous Chinese woman, who was taking her plea straight to the Pope whom the Underground Church has always defended, the Father they adhered to even in face of martyrdoms and close to 70 years of persecution. The Father who today slaps them and rejects them...
To applaud her action and give it further reverberation among Catholics, I promised to continue her story by setting out more of the aggressive acts the Communist Regime is taking against the Catholic Religion in China.
New laws enacted
In my last article I noted I had a number of documents detailing the increased persecution of Catholics in China, especially those from the Underground Church. Then, just in the last week, a major story broke out that cries out for immediate attention.
New measures intended to completely control all religious activity will be implemented starting February 1, 2020. With these 41 new articles dealing with religion-related topics, "every aspect of the life of religious communities – from formation, gatherings to annual reports and daily projects – is subject to approval by the government’s religious affairs department,” Asia News reported.
The aim of these regulations is to be sure the Catholic Church submits to the Communist State in all matters. Every religious organization must be registered, putting a sharp end to the phase of a certain tolerance for the Catholic Underground Church. Anywhere from 6 to 12 million Catholics – depending on who is issuing the statistics – worship in underground communities not registered with the Chinese government.
With registration comes other demands of complete adherence to the Communist Party rules and policies. Article 5 states: "Religious organizations must adhere to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, observe the constitution, laws, regulations, ordinances and policies, adhere to the principle of independence and self-government, adhere to the directives on religions in China, implementing the values of Socialism."
The new rules further demand that Catholic Bishops and priests must spread the principles and policies of the Chinese Communist Party, support the Socialist System and not preach or teach anything contrary to Communism.
Article 17 states: "Religious organizations must spread the principles and policies of the Chinese Communist Party, as well as national laws, regulations, rules to religious personnel and religious citizens, educating religious personnel and religious citizens to support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, supporting the Socialist System, adhering to and following the path of Socialism with Chinese characteristics."
In effect, China is taking a final step, with no protest or even interference from Rome, to force the Catholic Church to be an organ of the Communist Party. As a Catholic priest told Asia News, “In practice, your religion no longer matters ... The only religion allowed is faith in the Chinese Communist Party.”
In his 2002 Letter to the Underground Church in China, Benedict XVI commanded the faithful of the Underground Church to try to unite with the CPA, joining them for Masses and services. Now Francis again orders them to join the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association for the sake of unity and Vatican rapprochement with China.
It is the full betrayal of the Vatican, a death sentence to the Chinese Underground Church that has been faithful to Rome and the Faith it once taught.
Re-programming the youth
Another law that came into force two years ago is the Regulations on Religious Affairs. This law prohibits children from attending church services, as well as forbids minors from joining any Catholic youth group, taking part in any religious activities and listening to sermons. According to Chinese officials, church attendance "thwarts minors from developing a correct world view and set of values," that is, Communism and Atheism.
Until now the law has been largely ignored, enforced here and there, especially in provinces with high concentrations of Catholics. (1)
Now, with the 2019 new directives and with the Vatican-Beijing Accord in place, Catholics fear that this law will be applied throughout the country. "This is basically a return to the situation of the persecutions of the Cultural Revolution," said one priest speaking anonymously. Only this time the persecution is taking place with the full approval of the Vatican.
Even secular institutions are noting the increased religious persecution in China, and pointing to the cause. A US report put out by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) stated it bluntly: The rise in persecution of Catholics in China corresponds to the signing of the secret deal with the Vatican. (2)
To the eyes of the world, it is clear that the Vatican deal was agreed by Beijing with the sole aim of asserting more control over the Catholic Underground Church and bringing it under the auspices of the party-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.
As Prof. Plinio has wisely pointed out, making concessions to Communism is a futile and disastrous path to take:
"To enter into peace with one who is evil does nothing but give the evil better means to persecute the good in all possible ways. Therefore, there cannot be a more erroneous idea than the idea of a peace based on liberty given to those who are evil, and on an accord between the evil and the good. This accord will never be respected by the evil side."
In the case of the Vatican-Beijing accord, I do not believe what we are seeing now is just some naïve mistake; it is a meticulously planned action of delivering to Communism the entire Underground Catholic Church in China. Pope Bergoglio chose Card. Pietro Parolin – the architect of a similar agreement with the Vietnam communist authorities – to be his Secretary of State with the precise task to conclude this accord.
What have been the consequences? The tragic consequences include:
- A new persecution of priests and the faithful who refuse to join the CPA;
- The closing or demolishing of Catholics churches, shrines and schools that do not meet State standards;
- A law prohibiting minors from even assisting at religious service.
Above, smiles & warm greetings for the CPA; below, a slap for the suffering Underground Church
Her abrupt, desperate action was captured on film and went viral on the social media, but at first her words were unreported. She was presented by news reports as being just a delirious fan who abused the poor feeble Pope.
Recently a few organs have admitted the truth of the story and vindicated the urgent action of the courageous Chinese woman, who was taking her plea straight to the Pope whom the Underground Church has always defended, the Father they adhered to even in face of martyrdoms and close to 70 years of persecution. The Father who today slaps them and rejects them...
To applaud her action and give it further reverberation among Catholics, I promised to continue her story by setting out more of the aggressive acts the Communist Regime is taking against the Catholic Religion in China.
New laws enacted
In my last article I noted I had a number of documents detailing the increased persecution of Catholics in China, especially those from the Underground Church. Then, just in the last week, a major story broke out that cries out for immediate attention.
New measures intended to completely control all religious activity will be implemented starting February 1, 2020. With these 41 new articles dealing with religion-related topics, "every aspect of the life of religious communities – from formation, gatherings to annual reports and daily projects – is subject to approval by the government’s religious affairs department,” Asia News reported.
The aim of these regulations is to be sure the Catholic Church submits to the Communist State in all matters. Every religious organization must be registered, putting a sharp end to the phase of a certain tolerance for the Catholic Underground Church. Anywhere from 6 to 12 million Catholics – depending on who is issuing the statistics – worship in underground communities not registered with the Chinese government.
With registration comes other demands of complete adherence to the Communist Party rules and policies. Article 5 states: "Religious organizations must adhere to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, observe the constitution, laws, regulations, ordinances and policies, adhere to the principle of independence and self-government, adhere to the directives on religions in China, implementing the values of Socialism."
The new rules further demand that Catholic Bishops and priests must spread the principles and policies of the Chinese Communist Party, support the Socialist System and not preach or teach anything contrary to Communism.
Above, a church locked & a sign posting its closing in Beilin village; below, news laws to place cross-less churches under the Communist State
In effect, China is taking a final step, with no protest or even interference from Rome, to force the Catholic Church to be an organ of the Communist Party. As a Catholic priest told Asia News, “In practice, your religion no longer matters ... The only religion allowed is faith in the Chinese Communist Party.”
In his 2002 Letter to the Underground Church in China, Benedict XVI commanded the faithful of the Underground Church to try to unite with the CPA, joining them for Masses and services. Now Francis again orders them to join the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association for the sake of unity and Vatican rapprochement with China.
It is the full betrayal of the Vatican, a death sentence to the Chinese Underground Church that has been faithful to Rome and the Faith it once taught.
Re-programming the youth
Another law that came into force two years ago is the Regulations on Religious Affairs. This law prohibits children from attending church services, as well as forbids minors from joining any Catholic youth group, taking part in any religious activities and listening to sermons. According to Chinese officials, church attendance "thwarts minors from developing a correct world view and set of values," that is, Communism and Atheism.
A law to forbid minors to enter churches
Now, with the 2019 new directives and with the Vatican-Beijing Accord in place, Catholics fear that this law will be applied throughout the country. "This is basically a return to the situation of the persecutions of the Cultural Revolution," said one priest speaking anonymously. Only this time the persecution is taking place with the full approval of the Vatican.
Even secular institutions are noting the increased religious persecution in China, and pointing to the cause. A US report put out by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) stated it bluntly: The rise in persecution of Catholics in China corresponds to the signing of the secret deal with the Vatican. (2)
Card. Parolin defends the Vatican-China accord as a step toward unity
As Prof. Plinio has wisely pointed out, making concessions to Communism is a futile and disastrous path to take:
"To enter into peace with one who is evil does nothing but give the evil better means to persecute the good in all possible ways. Therefore, there cannot be a more erroneous idea than the idea of a peace based on liberty given to those who are evil, and on an accord between the evil and the good. This accord will never be respected by the evil side."
In the case of the Vatican-Beijing accord, I do not believe what we are seeing now is just some naïve mistake; it is a meticulously planned action of delivering to Communism the entire Underground Catholic Church in China. Pope Bergoglio chose Card. Pietro Parolin – the architect of a similar agreement with the Vietnam communist authorities – to be his Secretary of State with the precise task to conclude this accord.
- It stated: “In September 2018, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed an agreement with the Holy See, paving the way for the unification of state-sanctioned and underground Catholic communities. Subsequently, local Chinese authorities subjected Catholic believers in China to increased persecution by demolishing churches, removing crosses, and continuing to detain underground clergy. The Party-led Catholic national religious organizations also published a plan to ‘sinicize’ Catholicism in China.”
- For example, In 2018 in Henan, a circular was issued in every city, village and school in April 2018 prohibiting all young people under age 18 from entering church to attend Mass. The directive was also issued in Zinjiang and some priests were ordered to post the signs prohibiting the entrance of minors.
Posted January 29, 2020
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