From L'Espresso
All that is known at the official level about the accord signed in Beijing today, September 22, by the Holy See and China is that “it concerns the appointment of bishops,” is “provisory” and “provides for periodic evaluations of its implementation.”
Not one more word about its contents.
The accord was signed for the Holy See by the undersecretary for relations with states, Antoine Camilleri, and for China by the deputy foreign minister, Wang Chao.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, then added in a statement that for the Holy See the accord “has a pastoral objective” and responds to the need for pastors “who are recognized by the successor of Peter and by the legitimate civil authorities of their country.”
What is not said is that the Chinese authorities will still be first in line in the selection of future pastors, with only a feeble right of veto granted to the pope on any candidates who may not be to his liking.
In this sense, the accord can rightly be defined as “historic,” because it marks a sensational about-face in the journey that the Catholic Church has made over centuries of history to free itself from submission to political powers, particularly in the “investiture” of its pastors.
And to begin with, Pope Francis has put the accord into practice from the day it was signed, exonerating from excommunication seven “official” bishops installed by the regime and until now never recognized by the Holy See, a couple of them with lovers and children.
Or better, not seven but eight, because Francis has released from excommunication another bishop “who passed away on January 4, 2017, and before dying had expressed the desire to be reconciled with the apostolic see.”
Moreover, one of these pardoned bishops, Guo Jincai, who is also secretary of the pseudo episcopal conference subjugated to the regime, has been assigned the new diocese of Chengde, instituted "motu proprio" in 2010 by the Chinese authorities and also recognized by the Holy See.
Here are the official statements concerning the accord, in Italian, English, and Chinese:
> Statement on the signing of a provisory accord…
> Bulletin on the Catholic Church in China
> Erection of the diocese of Chengde
> Bulletin on the Catholic Church in China
> Erection of the diocese of Chengde
The commentary, in Italian, of the cardinal secretary of state:
And the statement released by the director of the Vatican press office:
A first commentary by Cardinal Joseph Zen Zekiun:
(English translation by Matthew Sherry, Ballwin, Missouri, U.S.A.)
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