The Vatican regretted this Saturday that China has appointed a bishop in a diocese not recognized by the Holy See, in violation of the agreement that both parties signed in 2018 after decades of non-existent diplomatic relations.
This is the appointment by the Chinese authorities of Giovanni Peng Weizhao as bishop of Yujiang, in the province of Jiangxi, a diocese “not recognized by the Holy See,” according to a Vatican statement.
This event, in fact, did not take place in accordance with the existing spirit of dialogue between the Vatican and China stipulated in the Provisional Agreement on the appointment of bishops, signed on September 22, 2018,” laments the Holy See.
In addition, the Vatican explains that the appointment of Giovanni Peng Weizhao arose from “long and strong pressure from the local authorities.”
“The Holy See hopes that similar episodes will not be repeated, awaits timely communications from the authorities and reaffirms its full availability to continue a respectful dialogue on all matters of common interest,” the Vatican statement concluded.
The agreement was signed for the first time on September 22, 2018, renewed twice, the last time last October, and represents a step forward in the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, broken in 1951 after the rise of the communists. Mao Zedong.
At that time, China created its own Patriotic Catholic Church, in 1949, when Mao established the People’s Republic of China in Beijing, and Roman Catholics went underground, something this agreement eliminated, although many problems remain.
It is estimated that there are currently around 12 million Catholics in China.
The differences began in 1951 after the excommunication by Pope Pius XII of two bishops appointed by Beijing, to which the Chinese authorities responded by expelling the apostolic nuncio (ambassador), who was based on the island of Taiwan.
With this agreement, which remains provisional and confidential, the papal appointment of a bishop must be communicated to the Chinese side for approval, as Pope Francis himself explained.
Source: Observadora
