Chinese Catholics

Several points of discussion this week.

First, a provincial government to destroy a shrine:

Next July 16th pilgrims and faithful from Henan will not be allowed to go on pilgrimage to the sanctuary in Tianjiajing. The government from the province of Henan has in fact decreed that the historic sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel will be blown up with dynamite; a complete ban on Catholics organizing their annual pilgrimage; a complete ban on any religious gathering or function being celebrated in the area. A statue of the Virgin, over one hundred years old, is destined to be destroyed along with 14 stations of The Way of the Cross which punctuate the entrance to the shrine.

The sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel lies in Tianjiajing (Linxian district), in the diocese of Anyang, in the reaches of a mountain which dominates majestic scenery.  It was ordered built by PIME missionary Msgr. Stefano Scarsella, then apostolic vicar to northern Henan, to thank the Virgin for preserving them from the dangers of the Boxers persecution in 1900. The shrine was built in1903-1905.

The elegantly styled neo-roman Church was almost completely destroyed first by the Japanese in the Second World War, then by the Red Guard in the 60’s. Since 1979, the faithful returned to celebrating their faith with solemn liturgies and pilgrimages, travelling many kilometres on foot to the sanctuary ruins and representation of the Lourdes Grotto, where still today the original Marian statue can be seen.

According to AsiaNews sources, May 12th last, on the feast of Our Lady of China, the diocese of  Anyang distributed leaflets on the upcoming annual pilgrimage to Tianjiajing on July 16th feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  Usually the pilgrimage gathers 45-50 thousand people.  Since then the Department for Religious Affairs has kept strict surveillance of all priests, forcing them to hold “discussions” to convince them not to go ahead with the pilgrimage.

May 11th last the secretary general of Henan province gave a personal order to cancel the pilgrimage and spread the order to the neighbouring provinces of Hebei and Shanxi.

To occupy the site and prevent any form of sit-in, the provincial government began holding military exercises in the area of the shrine on May 12, mobilizing over 700 soldiers. Still today all roads leading to the sanctuary are closed.  All cars and pedestrians who pass by are stopped and searched.

The provincial governor’s decision has shocked the faithful of the diocese because just this year they began rebuilding the sanctuary, offering money and hours of work, repairing the road and the stations of the Way of the Cross which lie along it.

In answer on May 14th the government of Anyang city revoked the sanctuary’s permit and the permit for the pilgrimage, defining them as “illegal religious activity” and May 16th he issued a resolution which denies access to the land to Anyang Church, requisitioning the sanctuary site.

Rick Garnett, from MOJ, had an op-ed in USA Today to which Adam Minter, author of the Atlantic piece on the Church in China, had some objections. Rick posts links here.

At his own blog, Adam posts reaction to a WSJ editorial:

Finally, a personal point. Over the last week some critics of my reporting on Shanghai’s Catholics have suggested that I am blind to the plight of China’s Underground Christians. Let me assure you: I am not. At the same time, I feel that the Western media has suffered from a dearth of reporting on the lives of “open” Church Catholics in China, and that dearth has contributed to a biased and distorted view of religious life in China. It is my very modest hope that my reporting on the open Church Catholics in Shanghai will play a positive role in a more robust understanding of China’s religious situation. The Cultural Revolution ended in 1976; since then, something new has emerged. It serves nobody - neither China’s Christians nor interested parties in the West - to believe otherwise.

Cardinal Zen of Hong Kong apparently met with President Bush at the White House a couple of weeks ago. Jen Ambrose notes this and what Cardinal Zen told the South China Post about whether the meeting occurred or not:

Last night Cardinal Zen did not deny a report by EWTN - a US Catholic media network - that the meeting took place on May 31 in Mr Bush's private White House residence.

"I am not confirming it, but if he wanted to see me, why shouldn't I? Has Bush got leprosy?" Cardinal Zen said. "I am feeling that this is not something I should talk about."