Friday, May 12, 2006
Chinese Catholics...and the Reuters perspective
From Reuters: China's Catholics Divided by New Bishop Appointment
“Sparring between Beijing and the Vatican is set to intensify on Sunday as China installs another bishop apparently without the blessing of the Pope, extending a row over who rules China's divided Catholic Church.”
I don’t have a lot of respect for Reuters as a news organization and inane articles like this merely confirm my already low opinion of them. Chris Buckley, the Reuters’ reporter writes: “..Apparently without the blessing of the Pope”. Apparently?? Either he did or he didn’t. There is no double-secret list of who gets the Pope’s final “blessing”. Clearly, China unilaterally appointing someone as a Bishop does not have the Pope’s “blessing”. I don’t think there is any murkiness surrounding that.
He compounds that with this admission of ignorance: “… extending a row over who rules China's divided Catholic Church.” Mr. Buckley implies that there is a debate to be had here, with both sides offering up valid points. No. The Catholic Church in China is no different than the Catholic Church anywhere else: the Pope’s in charge. There is no “row” about this because this is non-negotiable.
I’d be dismayed if I read such journalistic laziness in a school newspaper; for a reporter with an international news agency, this is simply inexcusable. Obviously, the Pope cannot have personal insight on each and every potential candidate for bishop. He must rely on advisors and local considerations are very important. However, the Pope still has overall control – if he doesn’t say yes, it ain’t happening. Which makes the following paragraph especially nonsensical:
“Zhan Silu, also called Vincent Zhan, will become bishop of Mindong Diocese in eastern Fujian province, and he -- like two other bishops appointed in China in past weeks -- apparently lacks the Holy See's approval, which bishops even in China's state-controlled church have regularly sought in recent years.” (emphasis added)
[And you got to love a major qualification of Zhan for such an appointment: “Zhan holds a senior post in the Communist Party-run Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.”]
Catholicism isn’t some franchise license that China can claim ownership of. Ask Henry VIII. The Chinese government can call Zhan a bishop – hell they can call him the Chinese Pope if they’d like. But even saying it a hundred times wouldn’t make it so. This man is NOT a Catholic Bishop unless and until the Pope says he is. In the future, Reuters would do well to assign a reporter that has at least a working knowledge of the Roman Catholic Church…or in the alternative, perhaps has a Catholic friend he can inquire of.
[For an overview of the Bishop selection process (albeit from a U.S. perspective) see: Selection of Bishops ]
“Sparring between Beijing and the Vatican is set to intensify on Sunday as China installs another bishop apparently without the blessing of the Pope, extending a row over who rules China's divided Catholic Church.”
I don’t have a lot of respect for Reuters as a news organization and inane articles like this merely confirm my already low opinion of them. Chris Buckley, the Reuters’ reporter writes: “..Apparently without the blessing of the Pope”. Apparently?? Either he did or he didn’t. There is no double-secret list of who gets the Pope’s final “blessing”. Clearly, China unilaterally appointing someone as a Bishop does not have the Pope’s “blessing”. I don’t think there is any murkiness surrounding that.
He compounds that with this admission of ignorance: “… extending a row over who rules China's divided Catholic Church.” Mr. Buckley implies that there is a debate to be had here, with both sides offering up valid points. No. The Catholic Church in China is no different than the Catholic Church anywhere else: the Pope’s in charge. There is no “row” about this because this is non-negotiable.
I’d be dismayed if I read such journalistic laziness in a school newspaper; for a reporter with an international news agency, this is simply inexcusable. Obviously, the Pope cannot have personal insight on each and every potential candidate for bishop. He must rely on advisors and local considerations are very important. However, the Pope still has overall control – if he doesn’t say yes, it ain’t happening. Which makes the following paragraph especially nonsensical:
“Zhan Silu, also called Vincent Zhan, will become bishop of Mindong Diocese in eastern Fujian province, and he -- like two other bishops appointed in China in past weeks -- apparently lacks the Holy See's approval, which bishops even in China's state-controlled church have regularly sought in recent years.” (emphasis added)
[And you got to love a major qualification of Zhan for such an appointment: “Zhan holds a senior post in the Communist Party-run Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.”]
Catholicism isn’t some franchise license that China can claim ownership of. Ask Henry VIII. The Chinese government can call Zhan a bishop – hell they can call him the Chinese Pope if they’d like. But even saying it a hundred times wouldn’t make it so. This man is NOT a Catholic Bishop unless and until the Pope says he is. In the future, Reuters would do well to assign a reporter that has at least a working knowledge of the Roman Catholic Church…or in the alternative, perhaps has a Catholic friend he can inquire of.
[For an overview of the Bishop selection process (albeit from a U.S. perspective) see: Selection of Bishops ]
