Is the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association in Full Communion?

[imo]

After the rather polemical agreement between the Holy See and Communist China, is the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association priests, bishops and masses in full communion with Rome? Are they officially part of Catholic hierarchy now? Are the communists helping choose our Church’s bishops?

 

[Weserthy]

After the rather polemical agreement between the Holy See and Communist China, is the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association priests, bishops and masses in full communion with Rome?

From what I’ve read, at least some of them are. There were several Patriotic Association bishops that were recognized as legitimate bishops as part of the agreement. I am not sure if this is a blanket recognition that applies to the whole Catholic Patriotic Association, but there are bishops in the CPA that are now in full communion with Rome as part of the agreement.

Are the communists helping choose our Church’s bishops?

Reportedly, yes. What has been reported is that the Chinese government will select the bishops and the Pope will have a veto. How often that veto would be exercised, and how far a Pope would dare go in risking to upsetting the Chinese government, remains to be seen.

The problem with this whole situation is that the text of the agreement has never been made public, so there are still a lot of blanks that need to be filled in. All indications are that this deal has been a disaster for the Church so far. The main problem is that it’s not clear that the Church got anything out of it. It’s clear that the Chinese government got something out of it (ability to influence the Church and choose bishops). What did the Church get? As far as it’s known, it got nothing. Maybe a promise that the Chinese authorities won’t harass the Church as much. That’s probably not worth the paper that it’s written on. If anything, persecution of Catholics has increased since the agreement was concluded. It’s telling that there hasn’t been much talk of this deal lately from the Vatican and that they have for the most part stopped defending it. I was pessimistic back before the deal was supposedly finalized, and nothing that has come out of China since then has done anything but confirm my suspicions, and those of many others.

 

[Asinner]

The main problem is that it’s not clear that the Church got anything out of it. It’s clear that the Chinese government got something out of it (ability to influence the Church and choose bishops). What did the Church get? As far as it’s known, it got nothing.

I agree. “This has been the worst trade deal in the history of trade deals. Maybe ever.”

 

[tafan2]

Are the communists helping choose our Church’s bishops?

It’s by no means an ideal agreement. But it is not unique either. The Polish Communist government had veto power of Bishop appointments in the 50s and early 60s.