UCA News
Contribute

China's state-run Catholic congress scheduled after Christmas

The congress complicates ongoing negotiations to normalize Vatican-Beijing relations
China's state-run Catholic congress scheduled after Christmas

The entrance of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and bishop's conference office in Beijing. (ucanews.com photo)

Published: December 07, 2016 09:16 AM GMT
Updated: December 07, 2016 10:05 AM GMT

China's communist government will hold its Ninth Congress of Catholic Representatives for party-approved Catholic officials in late December, providing yet another hurdle for the normalization of relations between Beijing and the Holy See.

The Catholic congress, usually held every five years, was delayed by a year to accommodate discussions between the two sides. The running of the conference is a curve ball for the Vatican, according to Father Jeroom Hendryckx, founding director of the Ferdinand Verbiest Foundation at Leuven Catholic University in Belgium that is devoted to the promotion of a relationship of cooperation with China.  

The congress sits above the bishops' conference and the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association as the key policy-making body. The fact that it is being held this year adds further complexity to the Vatican-Beijing negotiations, he said.

Clergy, nuns and lay people will attend the congress penciled for Dec. 26-30. They will elect new leaders for the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Chinese bishops' conference. All government-recognized bishops are expected to be present.

The congress comes less than a month after an excommunicated bishop took part in two episcopal ordinations in Chengdu and Xichang Dioceses, and eight months after China's religion summit where party elites stressed the need to "Sinicize" the church and give it "Chinese characteristics."  

A researcher in Beijing, who asked not to be named, believed the congress will not bring any significant changes.

"The last congress already bought in a new generation of young leaders. So it may be similar to the recent National Congress of the Chinese Islamic Association, which closed on Nov. 28. They just fine tuned their constitution, passed all the motions and made a response to the call of Sinicization," the researcher told ucanews.com.

Even so, most Catholics opposed the meeting. They despise the congress attendees for endorsing China's "independent church principle," which is incompatible with Catholic doctrine. 

About 40 bishops attended the last congress in 2010, after which the Vatican expressed "profound sorrow" over the way the congress was held with some prelates reportedly forced to attend under duress.

The Vatican and Beijing are currently working out a deal that will finalize the status of 50 Vatican-approved bishops or candidates in the open and underground Catholic communities in China. The Vatican is also considering pardoning eight other prelates who were ordained with government-backing and without permission from the pope.

Help UCA News to be independent
Dear reader,
Lent is the season during which catechumens make their final preparations to be welcomed into the Church.
Each year during Lent, UCA News presents the stories of people who will join the Church in proclaiming that Jesus Christ is their Lord. The stories of how women and men who will be baptized came to believe in Christ are inspirations for all of us as we prepare to celebrate the Church's chief feast.
Help us with your donations to bring such stories of faith that make a difference in the Church and society.
A small contribution of US$5 will support us continue our mission…
William J. Grimm
Publisher
UCA News
Asian Bishops
Latest News
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia