China's leading bishop openly declares support for the Communist Party

From Dr. Anthony E. Clark, this follow-up note to his recent article, "China's Catholics: Sixty Years of Faith, Resistance, and Reaching for Freedom" (Ignatius Insight, Dec. 28, 2011):

As radical nationalism reaches a fevered pitch in China, the country's official Catholic leader, Beijing's Bishop Li Shan published recently his testimony in support of China's Communist Party and declared China's Church is "independent, self ruling, and self managing."

Bishop Li's anti-Rome remarks come just a few months after he defied Vatican orders not to ordain bishops illicitly; Li's refusal to obey Rome has caused grave rifts in China's Catholic community, as he has become increasingly pro-Party, and has proudly announced his chairmanship of Beijing's Catholic Patriotic Association. Here is a preliminary translation of Bishop Li's "Introduction" to the "Sixtieth Anniversary Celebration of Beijing's Catholic Patriotic Association," published in October 2011.

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Introduction

On September 16, 1951, the first meeting of Beijing's Catholics was solemnly convened under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and 500 Catholic clergy represented Beijing's 30,000 Christians. They resolutely determined to cast off the shackles of colonialist and capitalist control for a more unpolluted Holy Church, so that the Holy Church can continue to transmit the Gospel. In support of and under the leadership of the Communist Party and a New China, they worked together with their compatriots to establish a Socialist society. The Patriotic Religious Organization was established at the great meeting to resolutely advance an independent, self-ruling, and self-managing Church: this was called the Beijing Catholic Patriotic Association. From that moment Beijing's Catholics entered a new glorious era of evangelization.

For sixty years now the Beijing Catholic Patriotic Association has rallied together and guided the clergy, who have raised high the banner of the Catholic Patriotic Association, determined to firmly go down the road of being an independent, self-ruled, and self-managed Church. We enthusiastically promote the governance and rights of the Patriotic Association, and direct ourselves toward the aim of the collective education of the clergy, who together with the Party and government are linked together by a common purpose. The diocesan and administrative committees work together toward the goals of pastoral evangelization, earnestly work serve the interests of society, energetically work to serve the whole, to serve the capital, to serve humanity, and witness "the love of Jesus," and implement the sacred commission, "that they may all be one," to the glory of the Son.

+ Li Shan

Chairman of the Beijing Catholic Patriotic Association
Chairman of the Beijing Catholic Service Committee
Bishop of Beijing

Below are photos (from top to bottom) of Bishop Li Shan (left), the cover of the program for the "Sixtieth Anniversary Celebration of Beijing's Catholic Patriotic Association", and the original, Chinese text of Bishop Shan's introduction: