Beijing broke off diplomatic relations with the Vatican in 1951, not long after the Communist Party came to power. Since then, two parallel Catholic churches have grown up in China: the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) run by state-appointed bishops, and an underground church with many bishops appointed by the Vatican. The Vatican is keen to bring the entire Chinese Catholic community of some 10 to 12 million people back into the fold and talks have been underway since 2014. “Is it not good to try to find mutual ground to bridge the decades-long divide between the Vatican and China?,” he asked. “So, do I think that the Vatican is selling out the Catholic Church in China?

Source: National Post January 30, 2018 19:14 UTC