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China-Vatican relations
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On his elevation to cardinal, the head of the Hong Kong Catholic diocese, Stephen Chow Sau-yan, has renewed calls for peace in a divided society and pledged to reach out to mainland China.

Both Rome and Beijing have bigger things to worry about than a deal on mutually acceptable bishops especially as Hong Kong’s top Catholic cleric travels to meet mainland counterpart.

Pope Francis has made his clearest remarks yet on gay relationships, saying they should be legally protected in the form of a civil union. While this should not be confused with recognising same-sex marriages, critics cannot deny that progress has been made.

Despite pressure from the US and criticism that the agreement has so far achieved little, any move towards what supporters hope will be an eventual reconciliation is good for both sides.

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  • Bishop Joseph Li is on ‘reciprocal visit’, the first by Beijing’s top Catholic cleric since Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, following counterpart’s trip to capital
  • Hong Kong’s Cardinal Stephen Chow visited Beijing earlier this year, saying it is important to love both country and church

‘Relations with China are very respectful, very. I have a great admiration for the Chinese people,’ the pope told reporters on his flight back to Rome on Monday.

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The pontiff says Mongolia’s tradition of living in harmony with nature and its creatures ‘can contribute significantly’ to efforts to protect Earth.

Pope Francis has named Bishop Joseph Shen Bin to head the vacant Shanghai diocese after China moved him from Jiangsu province earlier this year in an apparent violation of a bilateral pact.

Bishop Stephen Chow acknowledges recent call for patriotism could spark ‘complicated emotions’, but says faith can help teach people to love country, church.

The move to transfer Bishop Shen Bin from Haimen to the largest Roman Catholic diocese in the country appears to violate a secret pact between the 2 states.

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In 1988, Pope John Paul II elevated Catholic Bishop John Baptist Wu Cheng-chung to Cardinal. The Hongkonger would ‘play an important role in the initiative to improve Sino-Vatican relations’.

Ministry criticises ‘illegal seizure’ after Daniel Ortega’s government confiscates embassy compound and other assets Taipei had donated to Catholic archdiocese.

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Cui Qingqi, the sixth appointment under the 2018 pact, is trusted by Beijing and heads the local Catholic Church bodies overseen by the Communist Party.

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Observers say the long-awaited appointment is a prudent choice for the city’s polarised Catholic community since the 62-year-old ‘has not displayed any obvious political leanings’.

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In a decree signed on Tuesday, the Pope noted that the Holy See’s finances have been marked by several years of deficit. Worsening those financial woes, the pope wrote, was the Covid-19 pandemic.

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In new book, pontiff names Muslim minority in Xinjiang alongside the Rohingya and Yazidi, while also talking about persecuted Christians in Islamic countries.

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