The Vatican should work with Beijing to unify Catholics in China

The Vatican and the Chinese government are in talks about resuming ties, which were officially severed in 1951. The major roadblock to better China-Holy See relations is the status of bishops and underground churches in China. Some bishops were appointed by Beijing, others by the Vatican, while a few have gained tacit approval from both. How these current bishops will be recognised and how new bishops are appointed are key questions.

However, there are wider concerns about what these negotiations mean for Catholics in China and the Catholic Church overall. The communist government has long been wary of religious groups, due to historical examples of churches as bases for political movements. The authority of the pope, who does not answer to Beijing, heightens the government’s concerns.

The loudest voices on thawing relations seem to have come from outside mainland China. They see the pope’s actions as bowing to China. But the priority of the Vatican should be the Catholic Church and its members. Catholicism has a long, proud history in China, and while some might see an agreement as abandoning faithful Catholics facing persecution, I see it as a first step in a long process towards revitalising the church in China.

I was raised Catholic prior to the founding of the People’s Republic. The village in Liaoning, where my father was born, is home to a church built by mid-19th century Jesuits. I attended schools run by Catholic missionaries. My father’s friend, Cardinal Paul Yu-pin, helped me to come to the United States for school. He later baptised my son in the US. I owe a great deal to the Catholic Church in China, and it has been extremely saddening to see the turmoil facing Chinese Catholics.