The Cardinal Kung Foundation
With St. Peter At The Helm
Chiniese National Conference
of Roman Catholic Bishops - Pastoral Letter
Saluting both the 700th anniversary of the mission of
Blessed John of Monte Corvino, the first archbishop of Peking
(Beijing), and the fifth anniversary of the Chinese National
Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops, this pastoral letter was
released January 31, 1995 by the Roman Catholic bishops in China
through the Cardinal Kung Foundation in Stamford, Connecticut,
USA. (Since the Roman Catholic Church is illegal in China, this
pastoral letter could not be released there publicly.)
Following an account of the history of the Chinese Church, the
bishops analyze the differences between the Roman Catholic Church
in China and the government sanctioned Chinese Catholic Patriotic
Association - which does not maintain ties with Rome and the Pope
- as well as the distinction between their respective
representative bodies, the National Conference of Roman
Catholic Bishops and the China Catholic Bishops' College.
Arguing that "no member of the clergy of the universal
Church is permitted to be in sacramental communion" with the
Patriotic Association or the China Bishops' College, the bishops
call for prayers that their "separated brothers and
sisters" may "return home to the universal Church ruled
by our sovereign Pontiff."
December 1994
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
May the love of God Our Father, the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and the gifts of the Holy Spirits be with you all.
This year is the seven hundredth anniversary of the mission of
Blessed John of Monte Corvino, Archbishop of Peking (Beijing), in
China. This also coincides with the fifth anniversary of the
establishment of the Chinese National Conference of Roman
Catholic Bishops. Now blessed with these two great occasions,
we wish to speak to you by this Pastoral letter.
HISTORY OF EVANGELIZATION IN CHINA
There has been a long history of evangelization in China. Since
our Lord's ascension and his command to the Apostles to proclaim
the Good News of salvation to all nations, St. Thomas the apostle
traveled at least as far as India. Some further research has
shown that he also reached China. A French magazine discussed
this very issue during the period before China became communist
in 1949. An archaeologist discovered an iron cross crafted with a
couplet relating to the Church and with an emblem of Sun Wu of
the Three Kingdoms as proof of the missionary activities in China
during the early years. Emperor Tai Zong of the Tang Dynasty
ordered his Prime Minister to welcome a Nestorian missionary as a
distinguished guest. Again, at the time of Father Matteo Ricci,
S.J., a stone monument was unearthed in Sanxi imprinted with the
inscription: "The spread of Nestorianism in China."
Nestorianism is a heresy and is a church in schism.
Chinese history refers to Archbishop Corvino as the pioneer of
the western missionary activities in China. On this 700th
anniversary of Archbishop Corvino's mission in China, we must
commemorate him. The time, place, and format of this
commemoration are not important. Rather, the focus is to model
our lives on his activities with others, and his proclamation of
the Gospel over thousands of miles, oblivious of hardship and
dangers to his own life and faithful to the spirit of Jesus
Christ.
In a letter to the future Archbishop Corvino in 1307, His
Holiness Pope Clement V commended him:
"We know from reliable sources that for many years, you have
possessed great missionary zeal. With the permission of your
superior you went to the capital of Mongolia (now Beijing) to
proclaim the Gospel to the people. Under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit you achieved much and baptized many. Therefore, we now
hereby bestow on you a special authority. After you are ordained
a bishop, you have the authority to ordain other bishops,
priests, deacons, and to commission religious in the Yuen Kingdom
(China), together with the authority to govern them in the same
manner as we govern the Church in the West. We also hereby bestow
this same special power to the successor of the Archbishop of Han
Ba Li (now Beijing). This special authority, however, is based on
one condition: obedience and submission to the supreme authority
of the Roman Pontiff; at the same time, acceptance of the
archbishop's pallium. We also wish to remind you, as you have
previously done, to use paintings from scenes described in the
New Testament to adorn your future churches so that even those
who cannot read and write can contemplate the mysteries of God's
work by these drawings."
We can learn many important lessons, be inspired and benefited
from this Papal letter. First, we know that Archbishop Corvino
was obedient to his superior. Transportation in those days was
very difficult. During the lengthy journey from Italy to China,
many of the Archbishop's companions died. Second, we learn that
the special power to ordain bishops was not begun until recent
years. This practice in China dates back seven hundred years.
More importantly, ordained bishops must obey and submit to the
supreme authority of the Roman Pontiff; because obedience to the
Pope as the vicar of Christ on earth is the fundamental requisite
or the sine qua non of the bishop's own authority.
Therefore, it is important that we revisit this essential command
and teaching of the Pope which applies even to the present time.
We, therefore, call upon all clerics and brothers and sisters in
Christ in the whole of China to unite and to study seriously this
parennial teaching of the Popes, to commit it to our minds, and
to put it into practice. We call upon you all to share this
teaching with your relatives and friends in order to complete the
glorious mission God has given to us.
A DIVIDED CHURCH
Unfortunately, due to the interference of sources outside the
Church, today's Catholic Church in China is divided. One part of
the Church is recognized by the Government, and this is termed
the "official church" and its bishops are called
"official bishops." Although these "official
bishops" call themselves Catholic while recognizing St.
Peter as prince of the apostles and the Pope as the successor of
St. Peter, they regard the Pope merely as the spiritual leader of
the Universal Catholic Church. They refuse, however, to recognize
that the Pope has supreme legislative, executive, and judicial
authority in the Church. They also refuse to recognize the Papal
authority to appoint and govern the Catholic bishops of the whole
world, which naturally includes China. Our Catholic faith,
however, teaches that the Pope is the supreme pastor of the
Universal Church and that he has the immediate, full, supreme,
universal, and ordinary power over all the Catholic faithful of
the entire world. All members of the clergy and laity, without
exception, are bound in duty to submit to the supreme power of
the Roman Pontiff.
Some persons in the "official church" have traveled
further along the road of division of the Church. In 1957, they
established The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. In
1980, they established The Chinese Bishops' Conference and
The Chinese Catholic Religious Affairs Commission. In
September 1992, they met in Beijing and opened The Fifth
National Congress of the Catholic Representatives. In that
meeting their members declared:
"The consolidation of these nationwide organizations into
the China Catholic Bishops' College and the Chinese
Catholic Patriotic Association...has the advantage of
developing both the spirit of love for the country and the
church. It preserves the principle of an independent,
self-administered, and autonomous apostolic church. After the
consolidation, these two organizations - the China Catholic
Bishops' College and the Chinese Catholic Patriotic
Association - are accountable to the National Congress of
the Catholic Representatives. Although the two organizations
are independent, each with its own duties; they are to coordinate
and cooperate with each other on important issues and foreign
affairs. The two organizations will jointly study the issues and
make common decisions." (Translated from Chinese Catholic,
4th issue, 1992 - official newsletter of the Patriotic
Association.)
THE FARCE OF AUTHORITY IN GOVERNMENT-SANCTIONED
"CHURCH"
The faithful should know that once a bishop is ordained, he has
the simultaneous duties to sanctify, teach, and administer the
Church. Guided by the Holy Spirit, a bishop is shepherd of the
Church, a teacher of doctrine, a priest for the sacred liturgy,
and an administrator of the Church. The faithful must also know
that without communion with the Roman Pontiff, who is the head of
the Universal Church, and without communion with the bishops of
the universal Church, the duties of bishop cannot be carries out.
Church administrators must be bishops. However, the China
Catholic Bishops' College is accountable to the National
Congress of Catholic Representatives. This structure of
accountability illustrates that the National Congress of
Catholic Representatives bestows administrative authority
upon the members of the China Catholic Bishops' College.
Therefore, if the same individuals were to rewrite the Catechism,
what would their answer be to this important question: "What
are the duties of the different members of the Church?"
Instead of the correct answer of "The faithful follow the
teaching of the priest, the priests follow the teaching of the
bishops, the bishops follow the teaching of the Pope. Through
this union, we become one-fold and guided by One shepherd, as
Christ has commanded."
It is more likely that the answer to this important question
would be stated by the bishops of the China Catholic Bishops'
College in the following manner:
"The faithful listen to the priest, the priests listen to
the bishop, the bishops listen to the National Congress of
Catholic Representatives."
Then, to whom would the National Congress of Catholic
Representatives listen?
The authority of the National Congress of Catholic
Representatives is higher than the China Catholic Bishops'
College. "Who gives such authority to the National
Congress?" Christ had never to taught. None of the
Catholic theologians have ever so taught. The history of the
Catholic Church has never so taught. The "authority" of
the National Congress must be an unprecedented, great
discovery of our country's "wise men."
COMMUNION WITH THE ROMAN PONTIFF IS INDISPENSABLE
One of the special characteristics of the Catholic Church is the
communion of the universal Church with the Roman Pontiff. The
Church is led and administered by the Pope. However, the China
Catholic Bishops' College does not possess such a character.
Its authority does not come from the Pope, or from the College of
Bishops headed by the Pope, but from the National Congress of
Catholic Representatives. Because of its formation, its
constitution, its autonomy from the Pope, its accountability to
the National Congress of Catholic Representatives, rather
than to the sovereign Pontiff, we, the bishops, as members of the
universal Catholic Church, do solemnly declare that the China
Catholic Bishops' College and those churches which are led by
the College has become a new church, not the same as an
Orthodox church, nor the same as a Protestant church, and
definitely not the same as the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic
Church. Those bishops and clerics belonging to this new Church
and to the China Catholic Bishops' College, are not in
communion with the Pope nor with those bishops who are in
communion with the Pope, and those Christian faithful who have
failed to declare their separation from the China Catholic
Bishops' college are no longer members of the Catholic
Church. No member of the clergy of the universal Church is
permitted to be in sacramental communion with them.
It is most lamentable and unfortunate to be separated from the
Church. We must pray often for these separated brothers and
sisters so that the merciful Lord will grant them the grace to
repent. We must persuade them with love and encourage them with
faith, so that they too will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and
be courageous witnesses of Christ. May they sail smoothly on the
bark of mother Church with St. Peter at its helm and return home
to the universal Church ruled by our sovereign Pontiff.
The Gospel has been preached to the great people of China for
several hundred years. Countless brave persons followed the
footsteps of Jesus Christ. For their love of Christ they were
arrested, banished, and for him they shed their blood. They
suffered the trial of physical and mental torture. "Blessed
are they who suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven...Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is
very great in heaven" (Mt 5:10,12a). "Remember my word
that I said to you: 'The servant is not greater than his master.'
If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you"
(Jn 15:20).
RENEWING OUR SPIRIT IN A STORM OF PERSECUTION
We must wipe away our tears, cleanse our wounds, renew our spirit
as witnesses filled with the flame of love for God and live under
the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We must march to the
battleground to spread the Word of God with fervor, courage,
ingenuity, and deliver the gift of salvation to the community
around us. We must speak Christ in our words and live Christ in
our lives. To be in the company of Christ, we must be "wise
as serpents and simple as doves" (Mt 10:16) to avoid
the occasions of sins. If there is a church or an assembly for
prayer, make good use of it to serve God in worship. If there is
no church or gathering place, follow the example of the Holy
Family by joining together as a family to please our heavenly
Father. For those who do not have even this opportunity, use your
own heart as the temple of God, and speak to God intimately at
any time. Worship God in spirit and in truth. Glorify him, and
you will save souls, both yours and our neighbors.
The persecution of the Church today is like an overwhelming storm
drowning the world, similar to an early warning coming before the
end of the world. This event is not the work of man. This power
is unleashed from the gates of hell. This storm is created by a
political movement to defy the will of the people and to
overwhelm them. It has created the current state of worldwide
religious persecution in different guises against God, against
sanctity, against humanity, against Holy Church, and against the
sacred authority of the Vicar of Christ. This force exists in
China as it does in other parts of the world. Our church in China
must depend upon our Lady of China, upon all the angels and
saints to guide us from on high so that we will perform honorable
works, spread the message of faith unto salvation, a model to all
the world.
We are not only in the midst of an unusually challenging era, but also
we are in a period of storm, distress, and unrest. We must build
and construct, lest we be shamed by the neglect of so great an
opportunity. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts
enabling all of us, from the Catholic bishops of our Conference
to our faithful priests, religious, and laity, to reconcile our
differences and our faults. We need to examine our consciences,
weigh carefully the counsel of others of goodwill, to repent
deeply for our own shortcomings, and rekindle our spirit. By the
help of the Holy Spirit and our own diligence we should be able
to create a better age of Catholicism. When the time comes, we
will no longer exchange such greetings as "hello" and
"good-bye,", but with Landetur Jesus Christus -
"Praised be Jesus Christ." End
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