Controversial bishops deal could still be on track after Beijing signals it hopes for progress in Vatican talks
Communist authorities confirm commitment to reaching agreement on issue that has sent shock waves through Catholic communities in China
China has confirmed its commitment to reaching a deal with the Vatican over the appointment of bishops after an anticipated agreement that caused huge tensions within the Catholic Church failed to materialise before Easter.
Striking a conciliatory tone on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for Beijing said the talks had been “proactive and in-depth” and the Chinese authorities hoped future discussions would prove “constructive”.
Reports that the two sides had been negotiating surfaced in recent months. Some sources suggested that the Vatican would give up its own bishops and accept government-appointed ones – including some who had been excommunicated by the Holy See – sending shock waves through both the state-approved and underground churches, and prompting accusations of betrayal from some senior figures.
Despite expectations that the two sides would reach a deal before Easter, the Vatican clarified last week that there would not be any “imminent” deal.
“China and the Vatican have been in contact, we have also proactively engaged in in-depth discussion over certain issues,” Xiao Hong, a former spokeswoman for the State Administration for Religious Affairs, said on Tuesday.