An accord between the Holy
See and China on appointing Chinese bishops has been extended
for another two years, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal
Pietro Parolin said Wednesday.
The deal has been criticised by the United States, which has
asked the Vatican to do more to help defend religious freedom in
China.
Asked if the accord extension was a done deal, Parolin told
reporters: "Yes, yes, yes. I can tell you early, it will all go
well. The accord is not to be signed, it was already signed two
years ago and will simply be extended another two years, on an
experimental basis".
He said "the hope is that the Chinese Church will rediscover
unity thanks to this accord and may become an instrument of
evangelisation, that the unity of the Church is therefore a
source of authentic development of society."
Asked if the content of the accord would remain secret, Parolin
replied: "it is a relative secret. Many of the contents are
already known. Yes, however, it is true, for the accord between
the two sides, as long as the agreement is 'ad experimentum',
the contents will remain reserved".
Parolin added that he was "suffering" because of the
"bewilderment" of the faithful over recent Vatican financial
scandals.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
