China: new political push to control Catholic Church
Oct. 07 (AsiaNews) - The government-controlled Catholic Patriotic
Association has launched a nationwide campaign to reassert control over
the
Catholic Church, the AsiaNews service reports.
AsiaNews reports that the general secretary of the Patriotic
Association,
Liu Bainian, was primarily responsible for preventing Chinese bishops
from
traveling to Rome to participate in this month's Synod of Bishops, and
is
now blocking new candidates for episcopal office. The Patriotic
Association
is trying to strengthen its grip on the "official" Catholic Church,
fearing
that the country's Catholic leaders are growing too close to Rome.
The Patriotic Association is reacting to recent developments that
indicated
cooperation between the Beijing government and the Holy See. In recent
weeks
two new bishops who were selected by the Vatican have been appointed
for the
"official" (that is, government-recognized) Church. The Patriotic
Association, which was set up by Mao Xedong to ensure political control
over
Catholic affairs, insists that it should clear all epicopal
appointments.
When Pope Benedict XVI made a new gesture to the "official" Church,
apponting 4 Chinese bishops to participate in the Synod of Bishops, Liu
Bainian complained that the Pontiff was being disrespectul, arguing
that the
Patriotic Association should name its own representatives to the Synod.
The
bishops named by Pope Benedict were unable to obtain visas to travel to
Rome
for the Synod.