Synod, October 17: Chinese bishop professes adherence to ‘sinicization of Catholicism’

October 18, 2024

On October 17, 346 of the 365 participants in the second and final session of the synod on synodality gathered in Paul VI Audience Hall for the third day devoted to the session’s fourth module, “Places” (synod agenda).

“Places” is the title of the third part of the session’s instrumentum laboris, or working document (pp. 35-46). It has four sections:

• Areas of shared journeying
• Local Churches in the one and unique Catholic Church
• The bonds that shape the unity of the Church
• The service to unity of the Bishop of Rome

Vatican News, the agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, reported that during a coffee break, synod participants sang happy birthday to the 10-year-old daughter of a lay delegate. The Pope wished the girl a happy birthday as well.

Chinese bishops

Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication, revealed that “a few days ago,” two Chinese bishops addressed fellow synod participants.

“We follow the evangelical spirit of ‘becoming all things to all people’“ said Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang of Hangzhou. “We effectively adapt to society, serve it, adhere to the direction of the sinicization of Catholicism, and preach the Good News.” (Sinicization is the process of making religions more palatable to China’s Communist dictatorship, as noted in articles by AsiaNews, the agency of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions.)

Bishop Vincent Zhan Silu of Xiapu added that China’s bishops are reflecting on

how to address the challenges that mixed marriages present for family education; how to adapt to local laws and regulations; or how to resolve the confusion that exists among the laity between popular beliefs and some aspects of traditional culture.

The Church in this new era has been given a new task of discernment, even though the voice of the Holy Spirit is always gentle and difficult to distinguish. For this very reason, learning humbly from both historical and current experiences is an important way to evangelize, that is, to discern the new path the Lord is indicating to the Church.

Press briefing: Cardinal Lacroix implies Church resolves problems through “violence”

With the exception of the texts of the spiritual assistants and leading synod officials, the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, led by Cardinal Mario Grech, has imposed tight secrecy on synod participants (Regulations, Article 24), binding them to confidentiality, even with respect to their own contributions, and even after the session concludes.

The regulations stand in marked contrast to the relative transparency of the Synod of Bishops under St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, during which the Vatican routinely published the synod fathers’ interventions (speeches). The daily press briefing thus offers an impressionistic, if filtered, view of the synod proceedings.

The presenters at the October 17 press briefing (video), the Holy See Press Office noted, were

• Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for Communication and chair of the synod’s Commission for Information
• Sheila Leocádia Pires, communications officer of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference and secretary of the synod’s Commission for Information
• Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, SDB, of Yangon, Myanmar, president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences
• Cardinal Gérald Lacroix of Québec, Canada
• Sister Samuela Maria Rigon, SSM, superior general of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, Italy

In its summary of the briefing, Vatican News highlighted proposals for a Mediterranean Assembly to listen to migrants, as well as for a new Ministry of Listening; discussions of disabilities, interreligious dialogue, and the relations between Rome and local dioceses; and structural changes and adaptations to the contemporary world.

Vatican News reported that Cardinal Lacroix—remarkably—implied that the Church currently resolves problems through “violence”:

Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix of Québec, Canada, emphasized the need for the Church to “listen,” especially to those who are different, and avoid resolving problems solely through violence. He called for structural changes, particularly in mission practices, the media, and deepening spiritual life.

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Earlier coverage

• Synod retreat, day 1: ‘Stripping ourselves before the other and before God’ (CWN, 10/1)
• Synod retreat touches on homosexuality, ‘new ministries’; culminates in penitential vigil (CWN, 10/2)
• Opening Synod session, Pope stresses listening (CWN, 10/2)
• Synod, October 2: Pope defends inclusion of non-bishops; Cardinal Fernández: ‘no’ to women deacons (CWN, 10/3)
• Synod, October 3: Working groups discuss ‘Foundations’; ‘nothing new,’ says Cardinal Hollerich (CWN, 10/4)
• Cardinal Grech: Every Catholic is invited to weigh in on synod study groups’ deliberations (CWN, 10/4)
• Synod study group calls for ‘paradigm shift’ on controversial moral issues (CWN, 10/4)
• African bishops preparing document on polygamy (CWN, 10/4)
• Synod, October 4: leading African cardinal criticized for inadequate consultation in rejecting same-sex blessings (CWN, 10/5)
• Synod, October 5: work on ‘Foundations’ concludes; Lebanese, Haitian prelates recount suffering (CWN, 10/7)
• No synod meetings on Sunday, October 6
• Synod, October 7: Cardinal Hollerich calls for suggestions to make Church less ‘pyramidal’; women’s ministry discussion resurfaces (CWN, 10/8)
• Jesuits hold outsized influence at Synod on Synodality (CWN, 10/8)
• Synod, October 8: final document commission members chosen; leading Latin American prelate raises prospect of married priests (CWN, 10/9)
• Synod names commission to prepare final document (CWN, 10/9)
• Synod, October 9: Cardinal Fernández invites synod participants to weigh in on forthcoming document on women and ministry (CWN, 10//10)
• Synod, October 10: New synod guidelines announced, but not made public, as discussion of transparency begins (CWN, 10/11)
• Synod, October 11: opacity shrouds discussion of transparency, accountability in the Church (CWN, 10/14)
• Papal address: Christian unity is an unexpected gift, a journey, harmony, and for the sake of mission (CWN, 10/14)
• Synod, October 12: participants pray for migrants on synod’s least transparent day (CWN, 10/15)
• No synod meetings on Sunday, October 13
• Cardinal-designate Radcliffe links African bishops’ opposition to homosexuality to pressure from evangelicals, Moscow, and Muslims (CWN, 10/15)
• Synod, October 14: abuse of nuns, need for women in seminary formation discussed (CWN, 10/15)
• How ‘Special Interest Advocacy’ works at the Synod on Synodality (CWN, 10/15)
• Cardinal Hollerich introduces final ‘module’ of Synod working document (CWN, 10/15)
• Synod, October 15: Cardinal Hollerich calls for diffusion of synod’s ‘dynamism’; Cardinal Steiner calls for female diaconate (CWN, 10/16)
• Synod, October 16: pushback against devolution of doctrinal authority to episcopal conferences? (CWN, 10/17)

 

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