China and Vatican to Extend Agreement on Bishop Appointment for Two Years, Bloomberg Reports

Bloomberg quoted two sources on 9 September as saying that the Vatican will renew its agreement with China on the appointment of bishops in the next few weeks. It is believed that the agreement will be extended for two years. The Vatican has declined to comment.

The Holy See and Beijing signed a provisional agreement on bishop appointment in September 2018. The Pope immediately recognized eight Chinese bishops chosen and consecrated by the communist authorities themselves. Pope Francis later stated that under the agreement, candidates for bishoprics will be recommended by the Chinese Catholic community and the authorities and submitted to the Vatican for the Pope’s appointment. Bloomberg quoted sources as saying that this secret agreement stipulates that candidates will be selected through elections and by a synod of bishops in China and submitted to the Pope, who has a veto, for final decisions.

This February, the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met with his Vatican counterpart Paul Gallagher in Germany. Wang said at the time that China is willing to deepen mutual understanding with the Vatican. Francesco Sisci, a senior researcher at Renmin University of China, told Bloomberg that China hopes to engage in exchanges with the Vatican, which China recognizes as a ‘soft superpower’ with the Pope being a voice to which everyone would listen.

Source: Stand News #Sep09

#China #Vatican #Catholic #Bishop #Diplomacy

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