Vatican denounces China for bishop ordination

[bemildred]

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican on Wednesday denounced China for ordaining a bishop without papal consent, accusing the government–backed church of gravely damaging the faith and warning that the bishop risked excommunication.

The Vatican also accused Chinese authorities of committing "grave violations of freedom of religion and conscience" by forcing Vatican–approved bishops to attend the ordination ceremony of Rev. Joseph Guo Jincai, the Vatican said in a statement.

Guo was ordained a bishop Saturday in Chengde, China, the first time in five years that the nation had carried out an ordination without Rome's consent. News reports have said Chinese authorities forced at least three Vatican–approved bishops to attend, sequestering them for several days beforehand.

Communist China forced its Roman Catholics to cut ties with the Vatican in 1951, and worship is allowed only in state–backed churches, although millions of Chinese belong to unofficial congregations loyal to Rome.

http://topnews360.tmcnet.com/topics/associated-press/articles/2010/11/27/121169-vatican-denounces-china-bishop-ordination.htm

[somone]

1. Pretty soon they'll have a papal basilica made in China

with their own Chinese pope and everything

[bemildred]

2. Quite possible. nt

[Angry Dragon]

4. That would be interesting

I would buy popcorn for that one

[onager]

3. No one expected the Chinese Schism...

n/t

[backscatter712]

6. Hey, the English schismed the church for far less...

Henry VIII wanted to get a divorce, again, and chop his ex-wife's head off, and the Vatican wouldn't let him, so the Church of England was born!

Maybe if China emulates England in schisming the Catholic Church to form the Church of China, maybe history will repeat itself and China will see their own Guy Fawkes.

If that happens, let's hope it gets on pay-per-view... :popcorn:

[ZombieHorde]

5. Does the Pope not know how China works? Has he not been following the fall of Tibetan Buddhism

in Tibet?

[skepticscott]

7. "gravely damaging the faith"???

Oh, please. A horde of child-raping priests and a Vatican that protects and enables them doesn't, but a few Chinese playing "do-it-yourself priest" does?