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The Church in China needs contribution of all

The Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, published an interview with Fernando Cardinal Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, in which he spoke of the provisional agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China on the appointment of bishops, signed on 22 September 2018
 







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Study retreat looks into China situation

HONG KONG (SE): A study retreat was organised for clergy by the Diocese of Hong Kong from January 8 to 10, to deepen their understanding of the situation of the Church in China.
 
With the help of different researchers on the subject, the retreat covered four topics, including the theological principles behind the reforms of Pope Francis, Chinese president Xi Jinping’s policy on religion, the provisional Sino-Vatican agreement on the appointment of bishops reached on September 22 and the future of the Church in China. 
 
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Priests of China’s unofficial Church stand united

HONG KONG (UCAN): Priests of the unofficial Church in China understand Pope Francis’ good intentions for it to be united with the government-sanctioned Church, but say they are not optimistic, as the country has no true religious freedom.
 
Father John said that before and after the signing of the provisional Vatican-China agreement on appointing bishops, unofficial priests in his area held several private meetings to discuss the situation.
 
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China Bridge - Pope Paul VI canonised. We rejoice!

Pope Francis beatified Pope Paul VI on 19 October 2014, and canonised him on 14 October 2018. We rejoice! Pope Paul loved China and always cared about the Church in China.
 
Appreciation of the Catholics in China
On 20 October 1963, on the anniversary of the consecration of the first six Chinese bishops in 1926, Pope Paul VI wrote a letter to Propaganda Fide (now the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples) in which he said:







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Praying for the Church in China without missing the point

Michel Chambon
 
May 24 has since 2007 been a day of prayer for the Catholic Church in China. At that time, Pope Benedict invited all Catholics, especially Chinese Catholics, to embrace the special day by renewing their faith in Jesus and striving for unity.
 
Echoing this, Pope Francis has encouraged prayers asking that Chinese Catholics make concrete gestures of “fraternity, harmony and reconciliation.”
 







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Catholic church closed in Henan crackdown

HONG KONG (UCAN): The crackdown on religion in Henan province—a key centre of Christianity in China—has been ratcheted up as the government seized an unregistered Catholic church managed by a priest with the official Church.
 
On April 24, cadres from Diandian Town in Shangcai County, sent two officials in the morning to seal the main entrances of Gadazhang Catholic Church in the Diocese of Zhumadian.
 
“The government will not allow the church to register or to open,” a source said.
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Bishop of Mindong detained again

HONG KONG (UCAN): Bishop Vincent Guo Xijin of the unofficial Church in Mindong, Fujian province, was taken from his home on March 26, according to AsiaNews. 
The 59-year-old bishop received a call from the local Administration for Religious Affairs on March 26 asking to meet at his office. 
 
After least two hours of talks, the bishop returned to his home at 7.00pm where packed his bags before being taken away at 10.00pm.
 
The priest who is the bishop’s secretary was also taken away.
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China and the Church in 2018

In the relative openness that characterised much of the past decade, the Church in China deepened in maturity and became more sophisticated in its approaches to ministry. Influence within the society grew, as did its relationship with the global Christian community.
 
Today it faces growing scrutiny by a Communist Party that sees its domestic impact and its foreign connections as problematic. 
 







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International importance of Church in China

HONG KONG (SE): The celebration of Christmas in China has gained popularity as its consumer society has taken off, but while it may be more of a commercial affair, Christians use its popularity to point people towards Christ.
 
Brent Fulton, from ChinaSource, says that in churches, rented banquet rooms and even on university campuses, carefully planned celebrations clearly present the gospel.
 
This is in stark contrast to two decades ago.
 
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