Chris Buckley, Talks to Heal Catholic Rift in China Gain Momentum under Francis; Some fear Pope risks too much. New York Times, Nov 27, 2016.
Despite the English title, I did not think the report said anything new compared to, says, those of a month ago. Thus I did not recommend it Sunday, Nov 27.
(b) Benjamin Haas and Tom Phillips, Pope's Possible Deal with China Would 'Betray Christ', Says Hong Kong Cardinal. Daily Guardian, Nov 28, 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/worl ... er-hong-kong-bishop
Quote:
"Cardinal Joseph Zen * * * sa[id] any agreement where Beijing would have a hand in approving clergy would be 'a surrender.' 'Maybe the pope is a little naive, he doesn't have the background to know the Communists in China,' Zen said at the Salesian school in Hong Kong where he still teaches. 'The pope used to know the persecuted Communists [in Latin America], but he may not know the Communist persecutors who have killed hundreds of thousands.' " (brackets in original)
" 'Maybe the pope is a little naive, he doesn’t have the background to know the Communists in China,' Zen said at the Salesian school in Hong Kong where he still teaches. 'The pope used to know the persecuted Communists [in Latin America], but he may not know the Communist persecutors who have killed hundreds of thousands.'
"Zen complained that most supporters of the deal did not truly know China, lacking first-hand experience with the state of the church under the Communists. He spent seven years frequently teaching in cities across China in the wake of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre
"No observers expected it [the deal, if made,] to lead to full diplomatic relations.
" 'You cannot go into negotiations with the mentality "we want to sign an agreement at any cost," then you are surrendering yourself, you are betraying yourself, you are betraying Jesus Christ,' Zen lamented. 'If you cannot get a good deal, an acceptable deal, then the Vatican should walk away and maybe try again later,' he added.
* There is no need to read the rest of this report.