Papal letter to Chinese Catholics seeks to unite divided communities

Published: 2007-07-02

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In a groundbreaking letter to Chinese Catholics, Pope Benedict XVI established new guidelines to favor cooperation between clandestine Catholic communities and those officially registered with the government. The papal letter strongly criticized the limits placed by the Chinese government on the church's activities. But on several key issues, including the appointment of bishops, it invited civil authorities to a fresh and serious dialogue. The 55-page letter, published by the Vatican June 30, was accompanied by a Vatican Press Office commentary that reiterated the Vatican's willingness to move its nunciature from Taiwan to Beijing, as soon as diplomatic relations are established with China. The letter was posted on the Vatican's Web site in several languages, including traditional and modern Chinese, and had been sent earlier to Chinese authorities as a courtesy. Throughout the text, the pope expressed his appreciation for the suffering of Chinese Catholics under communism. He said their devotion to the faith and their loyalty to the pope "will be rewarded, even if at times everything can seem a failure."

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