3. Historical Evolution of Sino-Vatican Relations
3.3. Holy See’s Policy in China from Pope Pius XII to Pope Benedict XVI
3.3.4. Pope John Paul II
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50 Holy See on the Mainland and be able to protect Mainland Chinese Catholics. In his
Epiphany discourse of 1967, Pope Paul VI called for better relations with the Mainland Chinese people, for which, he said, the Catholic Church had always professed profound sympathy. Other overtures were made by him in his speech to the F.A.O133 in 1970, ten days before he undertook his trip to the Far East, and again during his stop at Hong Kong, where he sent his “cordial and sincere greeting” to all the Chinese people, wherever they may be. On the other hand, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the Geneva Office of the United Nations Organization praised Communist China for its exemplary respect of traditional Chinese values in the training of its workers during a speech he gave at a meeting of the International Labor Organization in 1973.134
3.3.4. PopeJohn Paul II
Mao Zedong died on September 9, 1976 and many things changed in China.
For many years Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping had been trying to launch a big campaign for modernization. Finally, in 1978, after the death of Chairman Mao, the Third Plenum of the XIth Congress of the Party resolutely adopted the new policy of reform and openness. A realistic slogan was produced for the occasion: “Seek the truth in the facts”.135
On October 16, 1978, Karol Wojtyła, a Polish cardinal from a Communist country, became Pope John Paul II. At the same time, reforms and social changes started in China. Indeed, China, led by Deng Xiaoping in 1978, began to emerge from its isolation with a modernization policy. Thus, there emerged the possibility
133 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (F.A.O)
134 Cardinale, I. (1976). op. cit, p. 205.
135Charbonnier, J. (2007). op. cit., p. 501.
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51 for dialogue with the possible resulting establishment of a Sino–Vatican Concordat.
The Open Door Policy,that was a part of the modernization program initiated at the Party’s Third Plenum in December 1978, provided the Vatican with a longed-for opportunity to find out about the real situation in China. The long silence, especially during the ten years of the Cultural Revolution, kept the Vatican from making any accurate observation and contact.136 The Vatican tried all possible means to establish contacts with China for the purpose of initiating a Sino-Vatican dialogue in order to work out their differences. It was hoped that a Sino-Vatican rapprochement could be developed now that China had begun to come out from its isolation and involve itself in international affairs, both on global and regional levels.137
In 1981, Pope John Paul II went to Manila and met with the representatives of the Christians of Overseas Chinese Communities. In his speech “True Christians and Authentic Chinese”, he clarified the Vatican’s policy on China. He praised the Chinese Culture and History and recalled that Chinese Catholics are called to be good Chinese citizens. He explicitly wanted to create ties of trust with China and to improve Sino-Vatican relations. In that speech, Pope John Paul II reaffirmed to China the mission of the Church:
In proclaiming Jesus-Christ as the eternal Son of God and Savior of the world, the Church has no aim than to be faithful to the mission entrusted to her by her Divine Founder. She has no political or economic goals; she has no worldly mission. She wants to be, in China as in any other country, the herald of the Kingdom of God. She desires not privileges, but only that all those who follow Christ may be able to express their faith freely and publicly
136Leung, B. (1992).op. cit., p. 189.
137Ibid., p. 190
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52 and live according to their consciences.138
All along his pontificate, John Paul II sent many messages of friendship to China in the hope of rapprochement. In his address to the Bishops of the World inviting them to pray for the Church in China, he stated:
Concern for the Church in China, which was always so deeply felt by my recent predecessors Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul I, has become the particular and constant anxiety of my pontificate, as I have shown more than once and in various ways. This anxiety springs from the very nature of the catholicity of the Church, which is one and universal, multiple in the variety of peoples which compose it and at the same time identical in the foundation of the faith and in the bond of communion.139
On 25 October 1982, at the commemoration of the fourth centenary of Matteo Ricci's arrival in China, held in Rome at the Gregorian University, Pope John Paul II referred to Ricci's restored tomb in Beijing as a symbol of dialogue and stated:
The tomb of Matteo Ricci in Beijing brings to mind the grain of wheat hidden in the earth in order to bear abundant fruit. It constitutes an eloquent appeal, both to Rome and to Beijing, to resume that dialogue begun by him four hundred years ago with so much love and so much success.140
On March 4-6, 1986, the Holy See called a meeting and gathered experts in order to help the Roman Curia to understand the specific situation of the Catholic
138JohnPaul II. (1981). True Christians and authentic Chinese, February 18, 1981. In E. Wurth, & B.
Maheu (Ed.), 2006, Papal documents related to China: 1937-2005. Hong Kong, China: Holy Spirit Center, p. 185.
139JohnPaulII. (1982). Pope's letter to Bishops of the World inviting them to pray for the Church in China.InA Collection of Documents on the History of the 60 Years of Sino-Vatican Diplomatic Relations. (2002). Taipei, Taiwan, ROC: Institute of Catholic History, Fujen Catholic University, p.
141 140JohnPaulII. (1982). Fr. Matteo Ricci established a Bridge between the Church and Chinese Culture.
InA Collection of Documents on the History of the 60 Years of Sino-Vatican Diplomatic Relations.
(2002). Taipei, Taiwan, ROC: Institute of Catholic History, Fujen Catholic University, p. 168
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53 Church in China. Indeed, the Pontiff wanted to find a solution to the issue of the
Patriotic Church, the ordinations of Bishops, not appointed by Rome, and the Underground Church. The division between patriotic and underground groups engendered great difficulties for the Catholic Church in China. On October 8, 1989, Pope John Paul II was in Seoul for the 44th Eucharist Congress and while praying for peace for all nations, the Pope said: “Allow me to mention, in particular, two peoples who are very close to my heart: the peoples of North Korea and in Mainland China”. Regarding the latter, he speaks of his ardent desire to express his deep affection for them in person.141 Following the Tiananmen Square incident on June 4, 1989, things in China were at a stalemate; the Pope deplored the persecutions of Catholics in China. However, Pope John Paul II unceasingly proclaimed his goodwill toward China and many are his speeches, prayers, and letters showing his desire for rapprochement. He never stopped expressing his desire for the normalization of Sino-Vatican relations even though China did not share his views.
The year 1993 was one of numerous initiatives on the part of the Holy See and of the Holy Father. Receiving the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican, Pope John Paul II again expressed the hope that the New Year would bring opportunities for more States to send their representatives to Rome: “I think, among others, of China and Vietnam, of Israel and Jordan, to mention some”.142In 2000, the ordinations of bishops without Papal mandate and the canonization of 120 Chinese martyrs on October 1st had seriously undermined the process and created more misunderstanding. The canonization of the Chinese martyrs, that took place on the
141JohnPaulII. (1989). I commend to Mary the Peoples of North Korea and Mainland China, October 8, 1989. In E. Wurth, & B. Maheu (Ed.), 2006, Papal documents related to China: 1937-2005. Hong Kong, China: Holy Spirit., p 204.
142Charbonnier, J., & Politi, G. (2006). China-Vatican Relations: 1978-2005. In The Catholic Church in China: today and tomorrow. Leuven, Belgium: Ferdinand Verbiest Institute, p. 141.
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54 very same day as the birth of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949,
worsened the already complicated status of the Roman Catholic Church in China.
Beijing described most of these martyrs as “evil-doing sinners” who were executed for breaking the law. From that day, the dialogue with China became truly tensed and difficult. In 2001, Pope John Paul, with great courage and humility, asked for forgiveness for errors and limits of Christians against China in the past. He called again for dialogue and rapprochement with Beijing by stating:
It is no secret that the Holy See, in the name of the whole Catholic Church and, I believe, for the benefit of the whole human family, hopes for the opening of some form of dialogue with the Authorities of the People’s Republic of China. Once the misunderstandings of the past have been overcome, such a dialogue would make it possible for us to work together for the good of the Chinese people and for peace in the world. The present moment of profound disquiet in the international community calls for a fervent commitment on the part of everyone to creating and developing ties of understanding, friendship and solidarity among peoples. In this context, the normalization of relations between the People's Republic of China and the Holy See would undoubtedly have positive repercussions for humanity’s progress.143
Until his death in 2005, Pope John Paul II, with patience and care for China, did all what was possible to create a Bridge with the Chinese authorities, bishops and Catholics. All along the twenty-six years of his pontificate, he addressed sixty times to China through official letters, speeches, messages and greetings.
Nonetheless, his courageous efforts did not lead to true and profound dialogue the Chinese government. This Pope who was an important actor of the fall of
143JohnPaulII.(2001). Message of Pope John Paul II, Fourth Centenary of Matteo Ricci's Arrival in Beinjing. In E. Wurth, & B. Maheu (Ed.), Papal documents related to China: 1937-2005 .
Hong-Kong, China: Holy Spirit Study Center, p. 318
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55 Communism in Eastern Europe did not succeed in normalizing relations with China.