Cardinal Parolin defends Vatican deal with China
November 15, 2024
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CWN Editor's Note: Cardinal Pietro Parolin defended the Vatican’s secret agreement with China during an exchange with reporters in Rome on November 15.
The Vatican Secretary of State said that “there is no contradiction between being authentically Chinese and good citizens and being Christians.” He pointed to the example set by Matteo Ricci, the Italian Jesuit missionary who brought the Catholic faith to China at the start of the 17th century, and persuaded the nation’s rulers that Christians could be loyal citizens. The current efforts of China’s Communist Party to “sinicize” religion has raised concerns about political restraints on the Catholic faith.
Cardinal Parolin said that the Vatican saw the need for “patience and courage” in continuing its diplomatic dialogue with Beijing.
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Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Nov. 19, 2024 6:54 AM ET USA
Ideological colonization. What else would you call "sinicization" with European characteristics? Chinese culture existed thousands of years before European secular colonization conquered its leadership. In the centuries of missionary activity by Catholic priests, Catholicism was as natural for the Chinese as it was and continues to be for any nation and culture. Catholicism enhances and brings to full expression the good existing in any culture. Contrast this with the evils produced by Marxism.
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Posted by: feedback -
Nov. 16, 2024 8:44 AM ET USA
This is preposterous statement from someone who has no idea what it means to live under a totalitarian regime. The totalitarian concept of a "good citizen" is diametrically opposed to Christian understanding of God-given dignity of each person. In the times of Matteo Ricci there were no government-enforced abortions in China.
