Did You Know That . . .

The Communist Chinese Government:

• Declared that part of the Roman Catholic Church not registered with the Chinese government is ILLEGAL?

• Created a Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association in 1957 to replace the Roman Catholic Church?

• Transferred all the properties of the Roman Catholic Church in China to the Communist founded Patriotic Association, leaving the “illegal” but loyal-to-Pope Roman Catholic Church penniless?
  

Did You Know That . . .

• Under no circumstance can a Roman Catholic accept just any other church as a substitute without abandoning his faith as a Roman Catholic?

• Roman Catholics in China, therefore, cannot keep their faith and at the same time follow their government's instruction to join the Patriotic Association to reject the Pope's supreme authority, even at the risk of persecution?

• By remaining and obedient to the Pope and by not registering with the Chinese Government, the Roman Catholic Church is outlawed in China and is known as the underground Church, also known as the loyal Church or clandestine Church?

• The Chinese government calls the underground church an "unofficial" Church while the Patriotic Association is called an "official" or "open" church.

Did You Know That . . .

• The Patriotic Association does not recognize the supreme authority of the Pope and therefore is not in communion with the Pope and the Universal Church?

• Pope John Paul II had said many times and most recently in Manila in January, 1995: "A Catholic who wishes to remain such and to be recognized as such cannot reject the principle of communion with the successor of Peter."?

• The Patriotic Association, although calling itself Catholic, is not Catholic because it is not in communion with the Pope, the successor of Peter?

• The Canon Law section 751 states:"...schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff..."?
  

Did You Know That . . .

• All Holy Fathers, dead or alive, for the last 60 years have never recognized the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association?

• Pope John Paul II had instead said in July, 1991: "With what prayerful longing and love do I follow the life of the loyal Chinese Catholic communities"?

• Pope John Paul II had also said in September, 1994:"The great majority of Chinese Catholics, precisely in order to live this fidelity in fullness, have chosen the path of suffering and silence. With deep affection, our hearts turn to these brothers and sisters of ours who suffer great hardship, thankful for their generous and heroic example."?

• Pope Benedict XVI said in May 2007: “the proposal for a Church (apparently referring to the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association) that is “independent” of the Holy See, in the religious sphere, is incompatible with Catholic doctrine.”?
  

Did You Know That . . .

• The Patriotic Association has appointed and ordained scores of Bishops without the permission of the Holy Father, in other words, without a papal mandate?

• Most of them have subsequently asked to be received into communion with the Pope?  The Pope has granted them the full and legitimate exercise of Episcopal jurisdiction.  Unfortunately, many of these legitimized bishops have failed to provide any clear signs to prove that they have been legitimized.

• On this subject, the Canon Law Section 1382 states: "a bishop who consecrates someone a bishop and the person who receives such a consecration from a bishop without a pontifical mandate incur an automatic "latae sententiae" excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See."?
  

Did You Know That . . .

• Numerous articles have appeared in the media, including diocesan newspapers, about the "Catholic Church in China"? These articles were, in fact, describing the Patriotic Association Church without even mentioning it by name?

Did You Know That . . .

• Many Roman Catholic missionaries returned to China and started various charitable projects at the invitation of and operating under the supervision of the Patriotic Association and the communist government?

• They do not work with the Roman Catholic bishops who are still underground, but in full communion with the Pope, nor do they ask for the permission from the Roman Catholic bishops who are still underground to work in the underground dioceses?

Did You Know That . . .

• There are about 50 Patriotic Association seminarians and priests studying in various seminaries across the United States?

• Those seminarians are given full tuition, room and board scholarships from various seminaries?

• This program is sponsored by Maryknoll on behalf of the Patriotic Association?

• A number of Patriotic Association priests have been given full faculties in some Roman Catholic dioceses in the United States and are authorized to administer any Holy Sacrament to the public?
  

Did You Know That . . .

• The Roman Catholic Church in China has been severely persecuted by the Chinese Communist Government?

• Such persecution is not ancient history? It is on-going?

• The persecution continues and gets worse at a time when China is given much freedom in business and finance, at a time when China is making significant economic progress, at a time when China is working hard to claim its status as an important member of the international community?

• Pope Benedict XVI said in May 2007: “It must not be forgotten that many Bishops have undergone persecution and have been impeded in the exercise of their ministry, and some of them have made the Church fruitful with the shedding of their blood,”?
  

Did You Know That . . .

• In April & May, 1996, Chinese government mobilized 5000 troops, about 30 armored cars and some helicopters in order to seal a tiny village called Dong Lu in Hebei province and to destroy a Marian shrine there?

• The Statue of Holy Mary at the Marian shrine in Dong LU was confiscated?
  

Did You Know That . . .

• Dong Lu was consecrated as the Shrine for Our Lady of China in 1932 by Pope Pius XI?

• Even though the Chinese government tried to stop this annual pilgrimage to Dong Lu, over 100,000 "illegal" Roman Catholic braved the physical abuses, roadblocks, and other restrictions to pray at the shrine in May, 1995?

• Holy Mother rewarded the pilgrims with a spectacular apparition on May 23, 1995? This miracle, witnessed by over 30,000 pilgrims, was certified by the Bishop of Baoding?

• DongLu is the home to 40 of the 120 martyr saints canonized by Pope John Paul II in October 1, 2000?
  

Did You Know That . . .

• In the Diocese of Baoding where Dong Lu is located, the Bishop of the diocese, Bishop Su Xhimin, was arrested in 1996, escaped, and rearrested in 1997? There has been no news about this bishop for many years? We do not know his whereabouts and if he is still alive?

• Bishop Shi Enxiang, Bishop of Yixian, Hebei, was arrested on April 13, 2001? He is now more than 80 years old and has been detained for more than 6 years? We do not know his whereabouts or his conditions?

• Bishop Gao Kexian, Bishop of Yantai, Shandong, was arrested in October, 1999? We did not know where he was until he died in jail in January 2005? His cause of death is unknown?

• Bishop Han Dingxiang, Bishop of Yong Nian, Hebei, was arrested in December 1999, and was held in an unknown place for his last two years? He died last year in a very suspicious situation? He was not only denied a Catholic burial, but also was cremated and buried within six hours of his death without any religious ceremony?

• The above are only few examples of the on-going persecution of that part of the Roman Catholic Church that is still underground in China?