Hong Kong bishop hopes for closer ties with Beijing diocese
1 year, 8 months ago

Hong Kong bishop hopes for closer ties with Beijing diocese

Associated Press  

BEIJING — Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic bishop said in a historic trip to Beijing that he hopes the dioceses of the two cities will have more exchanges and cooperation, local media reported Thursday amid signs of Sino-Vatican strains. Bishop Stephen Chow made the remarks during a Mass that was also attended by his counterpart in Beijing, Hong Kong’s public broadcaster RTHK said. His five-day trip is the first visit to Beijing by Hong Kong’s bishop in nearly three decades and came two weeks after Vatican News, the news portal of the Holy See, reported that China had unilaterally appointed a new bishop to Shanghai. Chow, who was named by Pope Francis as Hong Kong’s bishop in 2021, began his trip Monday and joined a prayer session at a church that evening.

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History of this topic

Vatican makes fresh overture to China, reaffirms that Catholic Church is no threat to sovereignty
7 months ago

Vatican makes fresh overture to China, reaffirms that Catholic Church is no threat to sovereignty

Associated Press  

ROME — The Vatican made another big overture to China on Tuesday, reaffirming the Catholic Church poses no threat to Beijing’s sovereignty and admitting that Western missionaries had made “errors” in past centuries in their zeal to convert the Chinese faithful. The Vatican hosted the head of China’s bishops conference for an unprecedented, high-level commemoration of a landmark 1924 meeting …

Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic cardinal says he dreams of bishops from greater China praying together
1 year, 1 month ago

Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic cardinal says he dreams of bishops from greater China praying together

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s newly appointed Roman Catholic cardinal said he dreamed of bishops and faithfuls from different parts of greater China praying together one day during a historic visit by the head of the Chinese Catholic church, a publication affiliated with the city’s diocese reported Friday. Joseph Li, who was installed by China’s state-controlled Catholic church as an …

The head of China’s state-backed Catholic church begins historic trip to Hong Kong
1 year, 1 month ago

The head of China’s state-backed Catholic church begins historic trip to Hong Kong

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — The head of the Catholic church in China began a trip to Hong Kong on Tuesday at the invitation of the city’s pope-appointed Roman Catholic cardinal, marking the first official visit by a Beijing bishop in history. Li’s five-day tour came after the city’s newly installed Cardinal Stephen Chow invited him to visit Hong Kong during a …

Head of China’s state-backed Catholic church will visit Hong Kong as ties with Vatican are strained
1 year, 1 month ago

Head of China’s state-backed Catholic church will visit Hong Kong as ties with Vatican are strained

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — The leader of China’s Communist Party- Joseph Li, the state-appointed archbishop of Beijing, will take a five-day trip to Hong Kong starting Nov. 14 at the invitation of the city’s newly appointed cardinal Stephen Chow, according to a statement from the Hong Kong diocese. Chow made the invitation during his landmark trip to Beijing in April — …

Pope gives ‘noble’ Chinese people a shoutout at Mass in Mongolia in bid to warm ties
1 year, 3 months ago

Pope gives ‘noble’ Chinese people a shoutout at Mass in Mongolia in bid to warm ties

Associated Press  

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia — Pope Francis sent a special greeting to China’s “noble” people on Sunday, giving them a special shout-out at the end of a Mass celebrated in neighboring Mongolia during the first-ever papal visit that was largely overshadowed by Beijing and its crackdown on religious minorities. The pope did send a telegram of greeting to President Xi Jinping as …

Pope recognizes China’s unilateral appointment of Shanghai bishop, three months after the fact
1 year, 5 months ago

Pope recognizes China’s unilateral appointment of Shanghai bishop, three months after the fact

Associated Press  

ROME — Pope Francis gave in Saturday to China’s unilateral appointment of a new bishop in Shanghai, formally recognizing Beijing’s installation of Bishop Shen Bin three months after the fact. The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said Francis decided to accept China’s unilateral appointment for the “greater good” of the faithful in Shanghai. But Parolin made clear China’s …

Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including prelates based in Hong Kong and Jerusalem
1 year, 5 months ago

Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including prelates based in Hong Kong and Jerusalem

Associated Press  

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Sunday announced he has chosen 21 new cardinals, including prelates from Jerusalem and Hong Kong — places where Catholics are a small minority — as he continues to leave his mark on the body of churchmen who will select his successor. The new cardinals also include Hong Kong Bishop Stephen Sau-yan Chow, 64, and …

Hong Kong bishop invites head of China’s state-backed church
1 year, 8 months ago

Hong Kong bishop invites head of China’s state-backed church

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic bishop on Friday said he has invited the state-appointed archbishop of Beijing to visit his city, a symbolic gesture that experts said could strengthen the fragile relationship between China and the Vatican. Chow’s trip followed a year of strained relations in which Beijing unilaterally appointed two church leaders and Hong Kong arrested a …

Hong Kong bishop visits Beijing on historic trip
1 year, 8 months ago

Hong Kong bishop visits Beijing on historic trip

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic bishop arrived in Beijing on Monday, marking the first visit to the Chinese capital by the city’s bishop in nearly three decades, despite signs of Sino-Vatican strains. Chow, who was named by Pope Francis as the city’s bishop in 2021, earlier said that the visit underscores the mission of the Hong Kong Diocese …

Hong Kong Bishop heads to mainland China amid Vatican strains
1 year, 8 months ago

Hong Kong Bishop heads to mainland China amid Vatican strains

Al Jazeera  

Hong Kong, China – Hong Kong Bishop Stephen Chow will embark on his first official visit to China on Monday, but is “unlikely” to meet representatives from the mainland’s “underground” churches, a spokesperson said, amid continuing strains between Beijing and the Vatican over the governance of the country’s Catholics. The Hong Kong delegation’s mission is to “promote exchanges and interactions” …

Hong Kong cardinal, Taiwan at papal funeral, but not China
1 year, 11 months ago

Hong Kong cardinal, Taiwan at papal funeral, but not China

Associated Press  

BEIJING — The attendance of both the former bishop of Hong Kong and an adviser to Taiwan’s leader at this week’s funeral for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI highlights the Vatican’s uneasy relationship with communist-ruled China. China still considers Taiwan part of its territory and won’t establish diplomatic relations with nations that have official ties with the self-governing island. Reardon said …

Hong Kong allows Cardinal Zen to attend Benedict’s funeral
1 year, 11 months ago

Hong Kong allows Cardinal Zen to attend Benedict’s funeral

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s outspoken Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen was allowed to leave the southern Chinese city to pay his respects to the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in Vatican City, his secretary said Tuesday. Zen, a 90-year-old retired bishop, will attend the funeral Mass, led by Pope Francis, at St. Peter’s Square on Thursday and return to …

Vatican and China extend their deal on bishop appointments
2 years, 2 months ago

Vatican and China extend their deal on bishop appointments

Associated Press  

ROME — The Vatican and China on Saturday extended their oft-criticized agreement on the appointment of bishops in the Asian country, where the government has waged crackdowns over the years on religious believers. It said the Vatican was committed to “constructive dialogue” with China on implementing the accord and in improving bilateral relations “with a view to fostering the mission …

Pope laments missed chance to improve ties with China
2 years, 3 months ago

Pope laments missed chance to improve ties with China

Associated Press  

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — Pope Francis said Thursday that he didn’t understand China but respected it, as another opportunity to improve ties came and went when the pope and Chinese president were within a few miles of one another in Kazakhstan but didn’t meet. The Holy See had sent an “expression of availability” to Beijing that Francis would be …

Q&A: Pope, Chinese leader Xi to cross paths in Kazakhstan
2 years, 3 months ago

Q&A: Pope, Chinese leader Xi to cross paths in Kazakhstan

Associated Press  

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first trip overseas since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic will overlap with a visit by Pope Francis to Kazakhstan, although the Vatican says there are no plans for them to meet. China does not have diplomatic relations with Vatican, ever since the ruling Communist Party required Roman Catholics in China to …

Hong Kong’s new Catholic bishop hopes to foster healing
3 years ago

Hong Kong’s new Catholic bishop hopes to foster healing

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — The new head of Hong Kong’s Catholic diocese expressed hope Saturday that he could foster healing in a congregation and a city divided by the continuing fallout from massive anti-government protests in 2019. He asked whether the pandemic, while destructive, has also been a blessing in disguise, as some Hong Kong people reached out to help each …

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