Vatican City, Feb 5, 2015 / 12:03 am (Aid to the Church in Need).- Despite the recent death of a long-imprisoned Chinese bishop, there are mixed signals suggesting the People's Republic of China wills an improved relationship with the Holy See. The first of these was the response from the Chinese foreign ministry to the telegram sent by Pope Francis to Xi Jinpin -- president of mainland China -- during his flight from the Philippines to Rome, which crossed through Chinese airspace. And a few days later, on Jan. 21, Hua Chunying, a spokesman of the foreign ministry, said the Chinese government is “willing to have constructive dialogue with the Vatican based on relevant principles.” Hua has also added that “China is always sincere in improving ties with the Vatican, and has been making efforts to this end.” Hua’s words proved once more the new religious policy put into action by Xi Jinping, who has been China's president since March 2013. A Vatican official involved in talks with China told CNA Feb. 4 that “when the Chinese want to change a policy, they usually start issuing declarations from the mid-ranks, in order to see what is the people's reaction.” This is why the official reads Hua’s words “as a sort of poll, in order to make the Chinese people confident in a new Chinese position on relations with the Holy See.” Despite these openings, the moment when China and the Holy See will hold diplomatic ties remains distant. The first concrete step toward these improved relations could be a sort of agreement between the Holy See and China on matters such as religious freedom and freedom of worship. One of the guidelines of the Vatican diplomats is that to seek a “reasonable freedom.” The Church in China is often described as divided, between an 'official' Church, the Patriotic Association, linked to the government; and an 'underground' Church, persecuted and whose episcopal appointments are frequently not acknowledged by Chinese authorities. The Patriotic Association has for years appointed illicit bishops who were not approved by Rome. On the other hand, there are bishops appointed by the Vatican who are not acknowledged by the Chinese government. The Chinese government has also arbitrarily cancelled some of the Chinese dioceses, and designed its own geography of dioceses of bishops which is not aligned with that in the Annuario Pontificio. All of these issues must be raised in an eventual “Vatican-Chinese agreement.” Another issue at stake is the treatment of the priests and bishops faithful to Rome. The news broke Jan. 31 that Bishop Cosmas Shi Enxiang of Yixian had died after 14 years of imprisonment, wtihout charge, in a secret location. His family had been informed of his death the previous day, though no more information was given them. Bishop Shi was 94, and had first been arrested in 1954. Now that Bishop Shi is dead, Bishop James Su Zhimin of Baoding is the only remaining underground bishop kept in secret detention. He has been held by the Chinese government since 1997. Such imprisonments and deaths “have been kept under silence by the media mainstream, probably concerned not to damage relations with the economically powerful Chinese state,” the Vatican official opined. “But, as a matter of fact, this state of things must be addressed.” The Holy See has committed to Catholics in China, intending to protect and help the country's persecuted Christians, and relations between the Vatican and China have fluctuated. After Benedict XVI’s 2007 letter to the Catholics of China, the relations seemed to improve, with episcopal appointments approved of by both the Vatican and the Chinese government. Despite this, and the inauguration of Xi's presidency, the episcopal consecration of Fr. Taddeo Ma Daqin in Shanghai showed that relations could cool again. Bishop Ma had been part of the Patriotic Association, but after his consecration he announced he would leave the association, and he was confined by the government. “Illicit ordinations follow a rationale that is hard to explain,” the Vatican official reflected. “They can also be decided at a local level, so I would not exclude that illicit ordinations are an internal response to Xi Jinping's wish to improve relations. When a situation is consolidated, it is quite difficult to move people toward a new state of things.” On the Vatican's side, there is a certain openness to make further steps in order to reach full diplomatic relations, though the Holy See's maintenance of a pontifical representative to the Republic of China – Taiwan – will remain a hurdle for mainland China. However, steps forward will be made with a certain caution. Yet the Holy See and China seem to be a little closer now. Read more

Vatican City, Feb 4, 2015 / 12:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- In his Wednesday general audience, Pope Francis said the role of parents is to teach their children with patience, gentleness, firmness and encouragement. “Every family needs a father. A father who doesn't boast of having a child be like him, but is glad to learn righteousness and wisdom, which is the only thing that counts in life,” the Pope told pilgrims gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall for his Feb. 4 general audience. This willingness to learn wisdom, he said, “is the best inheritance that can be transmitted to children, and you will feel filled with joy when you see that they have received and taken advantage of this inheritance.” The Pope's audience continued his catechesis on the family. For the past two weeks the Holy Father has particularly focused on the vocation of fatherhood. During his Wednesday talk, Pope Francis turned to the passage in proverbs which speaks of the pride fathers feel as they watch their children mature in “wisdom and rectitude.” This verse sums up the demanding yet essential role fathers play in both their families and in society as a whole, he said. “A good father teaches his children by giving a daily example of love and integrity,” the Pope observed. Fathers must constantly strive “to teach what the child does not yet know, correct the errors they don't yet see, guide their heart (and) protect them in discouragement and difficulty.” Fathers, he said, must discipline their own hearts in order to manage their children with patience throughout their growth and maturity. It is the responsibility of fathers to guide their children with “closeness, with gentleness and with a firmness that doesn't humiliate,” the Holy Father observed. In a society where fathers are often absent, the Pope noted, it is essential that they fully participate in every aspect of family life. “To be a good father, in first place, is to be present in the family, sharing the joys and sorrows with one's wife, accompanying one's children as they grow,” he said, and pointed to the parable of the prodigal son as an example. In the parable, the father watches and waits for his son every day, the Bishop of Rome noted, saying that this father knows what it means to wait with patience, to forgive and also to correct. “Also today's children, returning home with their failures, need a father who waits for them, protects them, encourages them and teaches them how to follow the good path.” While fathers sometimes have to chastise their children, they never do it with “a slap in the face,” he said, noting that while children often don’t want to admit it, they need this gentle chastisement. Pope Francis concluded by expressing his hope that all fathers strive “to protect their children and to teach them wisdom, faith and integrity” like St. Joseph, and prayed that fathers would “always experience our gratitude, appreciation and support.” He then offered personal greetings to pilgrims present from various countries around the world, including England, Wales, Finland, Sri Lanka and the United States. Read more

Vatican City, Feb 4, 2015 / 07:07 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As the number of deaths in Ukraine continue to rise amid escalating violence, Pope Francis has called the war “a scandal,” and urged the international community to “make every effort” for peace. “My thoughts turn again to the beloved Ukrainian people. Unfortunately the situation is getting worse (as is) the grave opposition between parties,” the Pope told those present in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall for his Feb. 4 general audience. He offered prayers for the victims of the increasing violence, “of which there are many civilians,” as well as their families, and prayed that “this horrible fratricidal violence will cease as soon as possible.” Casualties have continued to increase as violence has escalated. Up to 16 new civilian lives were claimed and more were injured following shelling in Donetsk on Tuesday, BBC News reports. U.N. figures show the death toll in Ukraine now exceeds 5,350 people, plus more than 12,000 others who have been wounded since fighting broke out last year. An exact number, however, is not confirmed. Last February Ukraine’s former president was ousted following months of violent protest, and a new government appointed. In March, Ukraine’s eastern peninsula of Crimea was annexed by Russia and pro-Russian separatist rebels have since taken control of eastern portions of Ukraine, around Donetsk and Luhansk. Persecution of both Roman and Greek Catholics has also been an increasing concern with the influx of Russian soldiers and pro-Russian separatists into the country. In September the apostolic nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Thomas Gullikson, voiced concern that Russia’s expansion into the country has caused major instability and threatens a return to former political persecution. He told CNA, “The danger of repression of the Greek-Catholic Church exists in whatever part of Ukraine Russia might establish its predominance or continue through acts of terrorism to push forward with its aggression.” “There is no reason for excluding the possibility of another wholesale repression of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church as came about in 1946 with the complicity of the Orthodox brethren and the blessing of Moscow,” the nuncio said. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was severely persecuted in the country while it was a part of the Soviet Union. So far many Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic clergy have been forced to leave Crimea due to the conflict. Both Roman and Greek Catholics are facing difficulties in properly registering ownership of church property and in ensuring legal residency for their clergy. In his audience address, Pope Francis renewed his “heartfelt appeal” for all parties involved “to make every effort, also on an international level, for the resumption of dialogue, which is the only possible way to restore peace and harmony in that tormented land.” The pontiff revealed that whenever he hears the words “victory” or “defeat” in regards to the current conflict, he feels a “great pain, a great sadness” in his heart. With no “right words” to describe the situation, the pontiff said the only word that is always right “is peace.” “I think of you, Ukrainian brothers and sisters, but (also) think that this is a war between Christians! All of you have the same baptism! You are fighting among Christians. Think about this. This is a scandal,” he said. According to the BBC, roughly 1.2 million have fled their homes since last April. Pro-Russian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko said rebels were aiming to boost their forces to 100,000 men. With the Ukrainian government’s announced mobilization effort, which includes plans to bring the numbers in its armed forces to 200,000 by later this year, U.S. officials are also reported to be considering the option of sending defensive weapons and other aid to Ukraine's armed forces. Pope Francis closed his audience by encouraging all to pray together for an end to the Ukrainian conflict, “because prayer is our protest before God in times of war.” Read more