HONG KONG (SE): In April, three months after the Chinese government decided to unilaterally transfer Bishop Joseph Shen Bin from Haimen to Shanghai, China’s largest diocese, the Vatican announced the papal recognition of the appointment. The announcement came with an additional explanation concerning the delay in papal recognition through a detailed interview with Pietro Cardinal Parolin, the Holy See’s secretary of state.
Cardinal Parolin attributed the delay to “the need to evaluate attentively” two aspects. First, “the pastoral situation of the Shanghai diocese that is recognised by the Holy See and which for too long was without a bishop” [Shanghai has been without a bishop since the Jesuit Bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian died on 27 April 2013 (Sunday Examiner, 13 May 2013)]. Second, “the opportuneness” or “appropriateness” [l’opportunità] of transferring Mongisgnor Shen Bin to Shanghai. Significantly, he described the bishop as “an esteemed pastor.” America Magazine observes a third aspect, although not mentioned by the cardinal, is the positive communications between the Vatican and Bishop Shen Bin since his installation in Shanghai.
Cardinal Parolin, called on the Chinese authorities to allow the Vatican to open “a stable liaison office” in mainland China so as to facilitate the dialogue and make it “more fluid and fruitful.” America Magazine quoted sources saying Beijing wanted the Holy See to close its study office in Hong Kong, something the Vatican would only accept to do if it could open an office in Beijing.
While speaking about the future of the Sino-Vatican dialogue, the cardinal acknowledged that “the obstacles placed on the way undermine trust and drain positive energies.” The dialogue between the two sides “remains open,” he said; it “is a journey that is in some way obligatory.” It is “inevitable” that there are problems, he added, “but if the dialogue grows in truth and in mutual respect, it could be fruitful for the Church and for Chinese society.”
…the pope decided to rectify the canonical irregularity for the greater good of the diocese and the fruitful exercise of the bishop’s pastoral ministry.
Cardinal Parolin
Vatican Media published the interview on July 15 wherein the cardinal highlighted some of the major problems the Holy See wants to resolve with China if the Sino-Vatican dialogue is to make progress. Cardinal Parolin acknowledged that the transfer of Bishop Shen Bin was a violation of the “spirit of dialogue” on which the provisional agreement on episcopal appointments is based, which the Holy See and China signed in 2018 and renewed twice later. But he explained that “the pope decided to rectify the canonical irregularity for the greater good of the diocese and the fruitful exercise of the bishop’s pastoral ministry.”
In the last part of the interview, the cardinal identified three important matters that “urgently need to be dealt with” in the Sino-Vatican dialogue: the episcopal conference, the communication of the Chinese bishops with the pope and evangelisation. “It is essential that there is established regular communication of the Chinese bishops with the Bishop of Rome.”
Cardinal Parolin explained in the interview that the Vatican is now asking Bishop Shen Bin to work with Chinese authorities to “favour a just and wise solution to some other pending issues in the diocese, like the position of two auxiliary bishops, Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin, blocked, and Bishop Joseph Xing Wenzhi, retired.”
Cardinal Parolin, called on the Chinese authorities to allow the Vatican to open ‘a stable liaison office’ in mainland China so as to facilitate the dialogue and make it ‘more fluid and fruitful’
Bishop Ma was detained for renouncing his membership of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association on 7 July 2012, the day of his ordination by Bishop Jin Luxian, and has been under house arrest since. Bishop Xing Wenzhi was also ordained by Bishop Jin Luxian on 28 June 2005, and was regarded as his successor, but he withdrew from pastoral ministry in December 2011 under circumstances that are still not clear. It is the first time that the Vatican has publicly called on the Chinese authorities to find appropriate solutions to their situations.
America Magazine reported that cardinal’s interview was “both unusual and important.” The cardinal sent a written text, consisting of five questions and answers which were a carefully drafted text within the Secretariate of State, and so carries considerable weight.
Responding to the question of why the consensual decisions are so important in the nomination of bishops, Cardinal Parolin made clear that “It is important and indispensable … that all the episcopal nominations in China, including transfers, are made consensually, as agreed [in the provisional agreement], and keeping alive the spirit of dialogue between the parties.” The Holy See is not contrary to the transfer of bishops in China but the problem arises whenever one proceeds in a non-consensual manner, the cardinal said.
Father Gianni Criveller, PIME missionary and China expert, commented in AsiaNews that “Hopefully, Bishop Shen Bin will be able to renew Church life in Shanghai now that he has papal approval and, as it is all too clear, the support of political authorities. Perhaps he might start with those fellow bishops who have been ostracised by those in power. It will also be important to see the reaction among Catholics in Shanghai, including the faithful who are not aligned with the government.”
