In its daily noon bulletin, the Vatican said Francis had named Shen bishop of Shanghai, transferring him from Haimen. The announcement came after the Holy See acknowledged in April that it had learned of Shen’s appointment to head the Catholic Church in Shanghai through the media.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said Francis had decided to accept China’s unilateral appointment for the “greater good” of the Shanghai faithful. But Parolin made it clear that China’s move had violated the “spirit of collaboration” outlined in a 2018 agreement between the Holy See and Beijing on bishop appointments.
Speaking to Vatican media explaining the pope’s decision, Parolin said Francis approved Shen’s appointment to allow the bishop to lead his flock and to “heal the canonical irregularity” created by Beijing’s unilateral transfer in April, which he said which occurred without the participation of the Holy See.
He said he hoped future appointments would be made in accordance with the letter and spirit of consensus called for by the agreement.
“We have to together avoid situations of discord that create disagreements and misunderstandings even within Catholic communities,” Parolin said. “Good implementation of the agreement is one of the means to do that, along with sincere dialogue.”
China and the Vatican have not maintained diplomatic relations since 1951, after the communists came to power and the expulsion of foreign priests. In recent years, the Vatican has tried to open up contacts and reduce friction, particularly over the appointment of bishops.
The Vatican previously acknowledged that the 2018 deal was far from ideal. It regularized the status of several bishops and paved the way for future appointments, but China has repeatedly violated it amid a broader crackdown by President Xi Jinping on religious freedoms.
Full details of the agreement were never made public, but Francis has claimed that he has the final say in the process of appointing bishops.
Beijing has long insisted that it must approve these appointments as a matter of national sovereignty. The Vatican has insisted on the divine authority of the pope to choose the successors of the apostles of Christ.
Since the break in ties between China and the Holy See, Chinese Catholics have been divided between members of an official state-sanctioned church, the Catholic Patriotic Association, and those who belong to an underground church loyal to the pontiff. The total number of Chinese Catholics is estimated to be between 6 and 12 million.
FOUNTAIN: Associated Press
