The Vatican and China: a tango with more setbacks than elegance
Ah, Vatican diplomacy. That ancient art where smiles are more enigmatic than the Mona Lisa and agreements more opaque than a dirty stained glass window. This time, Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff (yes, we know, the world is full of surprises), decided to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Francis and appoint the first Chinese bishop under the controversial 2018 agreement. The result? A “hooray!” from Rome and more than one frown among conservatives, who continue to wonder if this is progress or a surrender disguised as dialogue.
One bishop, two masters
The new auxiliary bishop of Fuzhou, Joseph Lin Yuntuan, already has his position recognized by the Chinese authorities. What a relief! Because, of course, nothing says “religious harmony” like needing the approval of an atheist government to exercise your ministry. The Vatican, in its statement, celebrated it as another “fruit of dialogue.” Fruity, yes, although some would say more sour than sweet. Let us remember that this agreement was born to try to unify the 12 million Chinese Catholics, divided between the official church (controlled by Beijing) and the clandestine church (loyal to Rome). The goal? End decades of persecution and estrangement. The result? A “yes, but no” that leaves everyone half happy and half indignant.
Because, let’s be honest: Beijing doesn’t let go of its control even with holy water. They insisted on their “exclusive right” to appoint bishops (through national sovereignty, they say), while the Vatican, with a forced smile, recalled that, technically, that corresponds to the pope. In the end, the secret agreement (yes, it was never made public, because why transparency?) allows China to have a say over religious leaders, although Francis reserved the veto power. A veto that, by the way, is not always respected. Example? Just before the conclave that elected León, China moved forward with two unilateral appointments. Nothing like a gesture of “good will” to warm the atmosphere.
Critics, of course, do not buy the story. They accuse the Vatican of having given in to Beijing and leaving the clandestine faithful in the lurch. But Rome defends the agreement as “the best we could achieve.” And, be careful, they have renewed it periodically. Treason or realpolitik? You decide. Meanwhile, Leo XIV remains on the tightrope: will he renew the pact without changes or will he give some nod to the conservatives? For now, he seems to be leaning toward the former. After all, in this dance, changing the step could mean stepping on a lot of calluses.
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