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Pope Leo XIV appointed the first Chinese bishop of his papacy, signaling that he would continue the historical agreement that seeks to improve relations between the Vatican and China.
Both sides welcomed the appointment of Bishop Fuzhou Auxiliary Joseph Lin Juntan as a confirmation of their commitment to the 2018 Agreement, which was reached under the late Pope Francis.
The agreement gave Chinese officials a contribution to the appointment of bishops. However, its content has never been fully disclosed to the public.
Beijing insists that the state should approve the appointment of bishops in China, which contradicts the persistence of the Catholic Church, that it is a papal decision.
There are about 10 million Catholics in China.
They are currently faced with the choice of visiting public churches approved by Beijing or Worship in underground congregations who swore loyalty to the Vatican.
On Wednesday, the Vatican stated that the Justine’s Ministry was “recognized” by Chinese legislation.
“This event is another fruit of the dialogue between the Holy See and the Chinese authorities and is an important step towards the diocese,” the Vatican said.
Asked about the appointment of Justin, the press secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lin Jian told reporters on Thursday that it showed how the 2018 Agreement was, state media reports.
China is ready to work with the Vatican to continue to improve the relationship, he said.
During the Pope, the Pope shows “a willingness to support reconciliation instead of antagonism”, Michel Chambon, a researcher at the Asia Research Institute in Singapore, who wrote extensively about the Catholic Church, Reuters told Reuters.
In September 2018, Pope Francis recognized seven bishops appointed China. The Vatican also posthumously acknowledged the eighth bishop who died last year.
China for the first time tore diplomatic ties with the Holy See in 1951, and many Catholics were forced to go underground while driving former communist leader Mao Zedong, which emerged only in the 1980s when religious practices were again allowed.
