Bishop of Beijing says Chinese Catholics ‘strongly hope’ for papal visit

22-08-2008

Beijing, Aug 21, 2008 / 05:11 pm (CNA).-
Joseph Li Shan, Bishop of Beijing, speaking in a Wednesday interview
with an Italian television station, said China's relations with the
Vatican were improving and expressed hopes that Pope Benedict XVI could
visit China. In response, the Vatican said the invitation was "very
positive and encouraging," but also "premature for now."

"We very much hope that the Pope will come to China," Bishop Li
told the Italian state television organization RAI. "It's a great
aspiration, and we hope it will materialize. Relations with the Vatican
are constantly improving."

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told Vatican Radio that
talk about a papal trip to China was "premature for now," but Bishop
Li's invitation shows "all Chinese Catholics love and respect the Pope
and recognize his authority," the Times reports.

Father Lombardi said there were "still many unresolved problems" in China-Vatican relations.

A spokesman for the state-recognized Catholic Church in China
responded to the invitation by commenting to Agence France Presse, "We
hope he can visit China as soon as possible. That would be good for the
Chinese Catholic Church. However, the first step is to establish
diplomatic relations."

China has demanded that the Vatican end its official relationship
with Taiwan before establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing,
which broke off in 1951 after the communist takeover.

Further, controversy continues about the Chinese government's
control of the state-recognized Catholic Church. Though the government
controls the appointment of bishops to the official church, many new
bishops, including Bishop Li, have been consecrated with Vatican
approval.

According to the Associated Press, Bishop Li is well-regarded at the
Vatican and his installation was seen as a positive sign in relations
between China and the Holy See.

The Catholic Church was banned in China through most of the 1960s
and 1970s, when all religion was outlawed. At present there are an
estimated 12 to 15 million Catholics, many of whom worship outside of
the state-approved church and are often arrested or harassed.

In his remarks to RAI, Bishop Li denied there was an underground
Church, saying, "the problem of clandestine Catholics does not exist."

Pope Benedict has made the improvement of relations with China a
priority of his papacy. Last year the Pope sent a special letter to
Catholics in China, in which he insisted there is only one Church in
the country.

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