Author Topic: The Church in China (Read 662 times)

poche · « **on:** May 24, 2013, 03:20:18 AM »

In a move destined to further complicate, and even worsen relations between Beijing and the Vatican, the Chinese authorities have revised significantly the regulations governing the process for the election and ordination of bishops for the Catholic Church in mainland China.

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/world-news/detail/articolo/china-anthony-lam-sui-ki-beijing-25040/

In his first public reference to the Church in China, Pope Francis has called on Catholics worldwide to pray for and with Chinese Catholics on May 24, the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians who is venerated at Sheshan, near Shanghai

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/news/detail/articolo/cina-china-chiesa-church-iglesia-cristiani-christians-cristianos-25028/

alaric · « **Reply #1 on:** May 24, 2013, 07:30:24 PM »

I think the Chinese see the Vatican and the Church as more of a Western or European cultural threat more than a religious one. Nonetheless, Communists hate any competition. But I hear China is one of the fastes growing markets for Islam and Christianity, those old Reds in Bejing are taking notice.

China is one of the oldest and most formidable cultures, I can't believe they haven't thrown off the yoke of Maoists after all these years.

poche · « **Reply #2 on:** May 25, 2013, 03:29:34 AM »

Imprisoned Bishop Ma Daqin of Shanghai used social media to lead the faithful in prayer on May 24 as Chinese Catholics observed the feast of Our Lady of Sheshan on May 24.

Bishop Ma, who is living under house arrest at an undisclosed location in Shanghai, is recognized by the Vatican as the rightful Bishop of Shanghai. He has been denounced by the Beijing government since, at his episcopal ordination, he announced his resignation from the government-backed Patriotic Association. But he has continued to post items on social-media outlets, encouraging the Catholic faithful to prayer, especially for the unity of the Church.

Pope Benedict XVI established May 24 as special day of prayer for the Church in China. The date coincides with an annual pilgrimage to the Marian shrine of Sheshan, near Shanghai.

As he concluded the daily Mass that he celebrated in the Domus Sanctae Marthae on Friday morning, Pope Francis asked the congregation to pray for the Church in China. The papal Mass—concelebrated by Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai, the Chinese-born secretary of the Congregation for Evangelization—concluded with a Chinese Marian hymn.

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=17975

Pelly · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2013, 06:20:45 AM »

A question: are there any Traditional Catholics in China? Since the Chinese Patriotic Church uses the invalid NO Rite, one must go underground, which is very dangerous. So, China is a big no-no since it is spiritually dangerous. But if somebody has to go to China, then one must be wary of the harmful spiritual luggage and have a good disguise.

poche · « **Reply #4 on:** May 26, 2013, 04:22:26 AM »

Rome
At least 2500 faithful took part in the Sheshan pilgrimage in the outskirts of Shanghai, in celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Sheshan, China’s patron saint.

In 2008 Pope Benedict XVI wrote a prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan - venerated in the Shrine of Sheshan under the title "Help of Christians" – placing the fate of the Church of China in her hands. The former Pope entrusted the Chinese Church to her once before, on 27 May 2007, when he wrote the famous “Letter of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to the Bishops, Priests, Consecrated Persons and Lay Faithful of the Catholic Church in the People’s Republic of China,” asking that “the date 24 May could in the future become an occasion for the Catholics of the whole world to be united in prayer with the Church which is in China.” This year, the new Pope sent a tweet to join China’s Catholics in prayer as they celebrate the feast.

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/cina-china-cattolici-catolicos-catholics-25106/

Cato · « **Reply #5 on:** May 26, 2013, 02:22:38 PM »

The Chinese government doesn't have any problem with Christianity as long as it doesn't threaten it's power. The PRC has long abandoned Communist principals; just look at it's embrace of Capitalism. It hasn't, however, abandoned totalitarianism. I don't blame them. China is a vast nation that isn't easy to govern.

poche · « **Reply #6 on:** May 28, 2013, 03:07:10 AM »

Pope Francis has invited "all Catholics in the world" to join Chinese believers in prayer on May 24, to Our Lady of Sheshan, "I urge all Catholics around the world to join in prayer with our brothers and sisters who are in China, to implore from God the grace to proclaim with humility and joy Christ, who died and rose again; to be faithful to His Church and the Successor of Peter and to live everyday life in service to their country and their fellow citizens in a way that is consistent with the faith they profess. Making our own a few words of prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan, together with you I would like to invoke Mary : " Our Lady of Sheshan, sustain all those in China, who, amid their daily trials, continue to believe, to hope, to love. May they never be afraid to speak of Jesus to the world, and of the world to Jesus. Mary, Virgin most faithful, support Chinese Catholics, render their commitments, which are not easy, more and more precious in the eyes of the Lord, and nurture the affection and the participation of the Church in China in the journey of the Universal Church".

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Pope:-pray-for-Chinese-Catholics-that-they-may-never-be-afraid-to-speak-of-Jesus-to-the-world-and-the-world-to-Jesus-27988.html

poche · « **Reply #7 on:** May 28, 2013, 03:50:27 AM »

The police blockade on the Catholic annual May parade to honour the Virgin Mary seems to have become something of a tradition. The Chinese Catholic village of Donglu has again this year been besieged by police who are trying to prevent inhabitants from joining processions to honour Mary. This started in 1995, when a crowd of about 30 thousand people gathered in Donglu to celebrate Mary, who according to local tradition appeared in the village in 1900 and still performs miracles today.

Despite the roadblocks, the village’s ten thousand residents, 90% of which are Catholic, have not lost hope and are going ahead with the celebrations. Visitors from outside, however, cannot take part. There are usually no serious confrontations between Donglu’s Catholics and the police throughout the rest of the year.

According to official figures, there are approximately 30 million Catholics living in China today. Half of them belong to China’s “Patriotic Church” and the other half to the Roman Catholic Church led by the Pope.

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/world-news/detail/articolo/cina-china-china-25153/