After “proper consultation and evaluation”, the two sides agreed to extend the “provisional” agreement for another two years. The Holy See is ready to continue a mutually respectful and constructive dialogue in order to promote the mission of the Catholic Church and the well-being of the Chinese people.
(Vatican news network) “The Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, after due consultations and evaluations, have agreed to extend the validity of the provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops, signed on 22 September 2018 and renewed for the first time on 22 October 2020, for another two years. ”This was stated by the Press Office of the Holy See in a statement released on 22 October.
The announcement continues: “The Vatican is willing to continue a mutually respectful and constructive dialogue with the Chinese side in order to productively implement the aforementioned agreement and to further develop bilateral relations to promote the mission of the Catholic Church and the well-being of the Chinese people “.
Pope Francis, in an interview with Reuters in July, hoped to renew the agreement in October. Referring to the appointment of bishops, he said, “the agreement is going well”, even if “slowly”, “because the Chinese have a sense of time and no one can rush them”. The Pope added that “they also have their problems” because the authorities of each region treat the Catholic Church differently and “the situation is different in each region”.
On that occasion the Pope referred to the difficulties of Cardinal Agostino Casaroli in his diplomatic activity. The cardinal, the architect of Vatican policy towards the east, spoke of the “martyrdom of endurance”. The Pope explained: “Many people have said a lot against John XXIII, Paul VI and Casaroli. But diplomacy is like that. Faced with a closed situation, we need to find a way to work, even if not ideal”. Diplomacy is the art of the possible way, making the possible a reality “.
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