Roman Catholicism in China
The Roman Catholic Church in China has a long and complicated history. Christianity has existed in China in various forms since the Tang dynasty, so at least since the 8th century.
Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368)
The first information about Catholic missionaries from Europe to China date from the 13th century. The Italian Franciscan priest John of Montecorvino came in 1294 in Beijing ( Khanbalik ). In 1299 he built a church and in 1305 a second opposite the palace. After studying the local language, he set about the New Testament and the Psalms translate. Between 6,000 and 30,000 people gathered around the year 1300 on the Christian faith. Later, Pope Clement V in 1307 sent seven Franciscan bishops to consecrate John of Montecorvino Archbishop of Peking. The three of them who survived the journey, then dedicated it to 1308, and were themselves successively bishops of Zaiton. In 1312 there were three other bishops to assist John in his work. He died in 1328. These missionary movement had some success during the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, but in the end had little impact.
Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911)
During the Counter Reformation, there was an expansion of missionary efforts, especially in Asia. Jesuits and other Roman Catholic missionaries tried to gain a foothold in China. At first she had mixed success, but later they achieved a greater impact, particularly in intercultural scholarly and artistic exchange, within the upper classes of China and the Chinese court.
The permanent mission was established in 1601 through the efforts of Matteo Ricci. His path was quite subtle. He took advantage of the interest of the Chinese authorities to Western technology and teaching as access. He also tried to bring Christianity with Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist teachings into harmony.
Ricci died in 1610, but the Jesuit mission lasted and was until 1722 an important part of the Chinese state. 1644 the German Jesuit Adam Schall von Bell was appointed by the new Qing Dynasty to the head of the astronomical authority. Jesuits occupied further management positions in the fields of mechanics, music, visual arts and other, where special skills were required.
The practical handling of the Jesuits with Confucianism later led to conflict with the Dominicans, who came mid-century from the Philippines to Beijing. Your guide Dominigo Fernandez Navarrete replied to the question of the salvation of Confucius that he, even if Socrates, Plato and Aristotle would not be saved, " [ would be saved ] certainly not Confucius, who was not worthy to kiss their feet. " In response, replied Antonio de Gouveia, a Portuguese Jesuit, that Confucius would certainly saved, " what can not be said of King Philip IV of Spain. "
As initially seemed saved at the beginning of the 18th century, the future of Christianity in China, the Rites Controversy in Europe intensified. The Jesuits were accused of the newly converted Chinese to allow certain rituals such as ancestor worship, which were considered pagan in Europe. The papal legate Charles Thomas Maillard de Tournon was sent in 1705 to Beijing to make about the orthodoxy of these rites an image, which were designated by the Jesuits as social customs. Since he (eg kowtow ) disregarded the official etiquette, he snubbed the Chinese Emperor Kangxi, who had first received him kindly. 1707 was Tournon out a decree, in which the missionaries were obliged under pain of severe canonical penalties for canceling these rites. After Pope Clement XI. 1715 Tournon had confirmed decree, the Christian missionaries of Kangxi's son and successor Yongzheng from China were reported in 1722.
People's Republic of China
Since 1949, the founding of the People 's Republic of China by the Chinese Communist Party following the status of the Catholic Church as an institution of Chinese society was highly controversial. While the Catholic Church is officially banned, the Chinese government the loyalty of all Catholic Christians nevertheless requires that the state and church services, may take place only in state- approved churches that belong to the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association ( KPV). Thus, Catholics are obliged to resolve the union with the Holy See, since they can not be regarded as head of the Church the Pope. The Pope pendant Catholics celebrate their services for fear of arrest in the underground.
Although the Communist Party is officially a secular organization, it reserves the right to appoint a priest. It respects by the fact that the activities of the Chinese population are not affected by external forces. The government does not distinguish between political and religious loyalty. Thus, they can not handle the fact that the Catholic Church can be compared to the Holy See and at the same time the Chinese government loyal one hand.
According to a study of Chinese Catholicism by the US-American Catholic magazine Commonweal, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association is an organization for the supervision of the Chinese Catholic Church.
Meanwhile, around 60 % of the bishops of the State Church are also accepted by the Vatican. In the summer of 2005, the Vatican and Beijing agreed to appoint a supportive bishop in Shanghai. In the past, one of the biggest problems in the relations between the Vatican and Beijing had been the question of who uses bishops.
As a further sign of rapprochement invited Pope Benedict XVI. In October 2005, four Chinese bishops (two state-recognized, an underground bishop and an underground bishop, who had recently converted to the recognized church ) to the Synod on the Eucharist a question. China forbade the bishops immediately to attend the meeting.
Currently - in 2006 - one estimates the number of Catholics to 13 million, of which 5 million followers of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. Unconfirmed estimates put the 40 million Catholics of Rome pending Underground Church and 20 million Catholics in the state church. The Chinese government, in its relationship with the Holy See still undecided, still haunts underground Christians, especially priests. Still the church is considered illegal.
May 27, 2007 wrote Pope Benedict XVI. " give some guidelines in relation to the life of the Church and the work of evangelization in China [ to ]. " letter to the Chinese Catholics to in this letter (Section 9 ) appoint voltages:
"How you is known to all, one of the thorniest problems in the relations of the Holy See with the authorities of your country lies in the question of the appointment of bishops. On the one hand, one can understand that the authorities in view of the social impact that this office - has also in the civilian sector, the selection of which hearken to the important role of leaders and pastors of the local Catholic communities - in China as in the rest of the world will exercise. On the other hand, the Holy See follows with special care the appointment of bishops, because it touches the heart of the life of the Church itself, since the appointment of bishops by the Pope is to ensure the unity of the Church and of hierarchical communion. For this reason the Code of Canon Law ( Canon cf. 1382 ) sets severe penalties determined for both the bishop, who voluntarily gives episcopal ordination without the apostolic commission, as well as for the recipient: Such a consecration is indeed a painful wound in the ecclesial community represents and is a serious violation of canonical order. "
Bishop Joseph Wei Jingyi underground of Qigihar ( Northeastern China) published in July 2007, a two-page pastoral letter, in which he called on his congregation to read the letter Benedict and follow. In this regard, he called him a " new milestone in the development of the Chinese Church. " In September 2007, a coadjutor bishop for the Diocese of Guiyang was organized jointly by the Vatican and the state church appointed.
Each year that the Catholic Church on May 24, on the World Day of Prayer for China. This Day of Prayer, Pope Benedict XVI. aware on the day of the traditional pilgrimage to Sheshan, the largest Marian shrine of China near Shanghai, placed.
Hong Kong and Macau
The Catholic Church must operate freely in Macao and Hong Kong. So is Donald Tsang, the chief administrator of the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong, a Catholic. Nevertheless, Pope John Paul II was denied in 1999 the visit to Hong Kong, a decision that was probably under pressure from the People's Republic of China. Both territories have their own dioceses, the Diocese of Hong Kong and the Diocese of Macau.
Diplomatic relations with the Vatican
The relations between the Vatican and China were very exciting and often difficult for both sides in the past. The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association ( KPV) is a department of the Chinese authority in religious matters and monitors the Catholics in China.
In 2007, the Vatican had indicated on several occasions again and again that he wanted to take full diplomatic relations with China, and would it even move its embassy from Taiwan to China. Nevertheless, remained as an obstacle that only the Pope alone has the right to appoint bishops. The current bishops of the CPV, however, are appointed by the government. In recent years this has led to a further tightening of the Sino- Vatican relations.
Some, including the Cardinal of Hong Kong Joseph Zen Ze - kiun, see the process between Vietnam and the Vatican regarding the re- establishment of diplomatic relations as a model for the normalization of Sino- Vatican relations. The end of 2004, before the death of John Paul II, Vatican and Chinese diplomats led talks with the aim to normalize relations again. At this time China sent a quasi-official delegation to the Vatican. Such advances were under Benedict XVI. continued.
The China Commission of the Roman Curia, the members of Curia, religious and representatives of the Chinese episcopate, has expressed concern about the " general climate of disorientation and anxiety about the future of the Church in China" expressed on April 13, 2011.