HONG KONG (UCAN) -- Some mainland Church leaders have reflected on their experience and perception of Church in light of a communique the Vatican released after the first meeting of the Commission for the Church in China.

The Holy See Press Office issued the communique on March 13, following a commission meeting held March 10-12 that focused on Pope Benedict XVI's letter to Chinese Catholics, released in June 2007.

The pope established the commission in late 2007 "to study the most important questions concerning the life of the Church in China."

The communique listed five "important aspects regarding the Church's mission as 'instrument of salvation' for the Chinese people," which are understood to have served as general topics at the meeting. They are:

• Evangelization in a world experiencing globalization;
• The application, in China's current situation, of the Vatican Council II doctrine on the nature and structure of the Church
• Forgiveness and reconciliation within the Catholic community;
• The requirements of truth and charity; and
• The government of dioceses, which has great relevance for pastoral activity and for the formation of priests, seminarians, Religious and lay faithful.

UCA News interviewed several mainland bishops and clergy in late March on their views regarding these points.

On the first one, Bishop Peter Feng Xinmao of Hengshui, Hebei province, said many Chinese, despite being better off materially now, still experience spiritual emptiness, since they have not heard the Good News.

"This is an opportunity for evangelization. The Church has to enter society and take part in charity and welfare work," he suggested.

Father John, a priest from the "underground" Church community, which rejects government-approved administration of the Church, said the second point deserves more study by China Catholics.

Noting that the China Church was isolated from the universal Church for decades until religious activities revived in the early 1980s, he asked, "How many of our clergy, let alone laypeople, really understand the spirit of Vatican II?"

He acknowledges the third point is vital, but also admitted local Catholics have doubts and difficulties responding to Pope Benedict's call for forgiveness and reconciliation. "We have not gotten any concrete instruction on how to achieve reconciliation," the priest said.

Bishop Feng, on the other hand, said the "open" Church community in his diocese made progress in reconciling with underground clergy and laypeople last year after the papal letter was issued.

In Shaanxi province, central China, Bishop Anthony Dang Mingyan of Xi'an said priests need to be more broad-minded so as to improve communication among themselves and achieve unity.

On the fourth point, underground Bishop Joseph Wei Jingyi of Qiqihar, northeastern China, said his Catholics generally have kept the truth for years, but some have not done enough for charity.

"Now we should put aside disputes and move toward true reconciliation. We should learn from Jesus and the Gospel spirit to return good for evil," he stressed.

The interviewees were most concerned about the last point.

"I understand the importance of normal diocesan management," Bishop Wei said, but he added that restrictions on religious activities often make pastoral work inconvenient.

Bishop Feng said he might form diocesan committees, as canon law allows, to enable young priests to jointly manage the Church and boost formation and pastoral work.

Bishop Dang cited religious formation as a key issue, saying "each member of the Church should be conscious of his or her responsibility and mission of spreading the Gospel." His diocese established pastoral, economic and vocations committees in 2006, which he said "have operated on track and have eased my workload."

The mainland Catholic leaders also shared their expectations of the China commission.

Bishop Wei hopes it will work out of a genuine understanding of the China Church, whose primary task he identified as continuous formation for mainland clergy, Religious and laity.

Father John likewise said commission members' understanding of the China Church should be more comprehensive than merely understanding the open and underground Church structures, because situations vary from place to place.

An open Church priest in northern China, who requested anonymity, said he feels the complex problems of the China Church can only be solved by deepening the spirituality of all Catholics including priests.

END