Of Catholics and Chinese Communists: The Vatican renews its bad deal with Beijing that ignores human-rights and religious abuses

Of Catholics and Chinese Communists: The Vatican renews its bad deal with Beijing that ignores human-rights and religious abuses

WSJ—Even as Xi Jinping was being crowned as China’s unchallenged dictator, the Vatican said Saturday it has renewed its agreement with the Chinese Communist Party. This is the second renewal since the deal was brokered in 2018, though there’s little progress on religious freedom to show for it. Its main contribution has been to mute…

China offers rewards for reporting underground churches

China offers rewards for reporting underground churches

CNA—The Chinese Communist Party is offering monetary rewards to those who report the presence of home churches in their communities, the magazine Bitter Winter reported on Thursday. The rewards appear to be an expansion of a program already in place in the province of Heilongjiang, reported earlier this year. In the city of Nenjiang, residents…

Chinese authorities destroy two Marian shrines despite Vatican-China agreement

Chinese authorities destroy two Marian shrines despite Vatican-China agreement

Beijing, China, Oct 26, 2018-(CNA)—As part of an ongoing crackdown on religious practice in the country, Chinese authorities demolished two Catholic Marian shrines this week. The move comes just one month after the Chinese government signed an agreement with the Vatican regarding the appointment of bishops. (short video slideshow here) According to reports from AsiaNews,…