Like many Chinese Catholics, Lin Jinqing was shocked when news trickled through to him of an impending deal between Beijing and the Vatican that would end a long dispute over control of the Church in China. Current top breaking Philippine headlines regarding the nation, world, metro manila, regions and exclusive
YINGTAN, China – Like many Chinese Catholics, Lin Jinqing was shocked when news trickled through to him of an impending deal between Beijing and the Vatican that would end a long dispute over control of the Church in China. As a member of a so-called "underground" church – one that is not sanctioned by Beijing – in the southeastern province of Jiangxi, Lin and fellow parishioners have for years been attending clandestine Bible readings and services. In recent years, as Chinese authorities cracked down on underground services as part of broader restrictions on religious groups, he has also started attending services at state-sanctioned churches in order to avoid trouble. "The pressure on underground church members has been quite big," said Lin, who lives in Yingtan, a gritty city of one million people in southeastern Jiangxi province. Now, the deal between China and the Vatican is worrying him. "Many of us don't know what to think," he said. He said that the underground churchgoers wanted more freedom to worship. "But at what cost?" A senior Vatican source told Reuters last month that a framework accord was ready and could be signed in months. The expected deal would allow China to appoint bishops, in consultation with the Vatican, and eventually could lead to the restoration of full diplomatic relations between the two sides for the first time in seven decades. Until now, China and the Vatican have not recognized most bishops named by each other. Underground Catholics like Lin have stayed loyal to Vatican-appointed bishops – and the Pope. News of the impending deal has split communities of Catholics across China, according to some critics like Cardinal Joseph Zen in Hong Kong. Some fear greater suppression should the Vatican cede greater control to Beijing, but others want to see rapprochement. "We hope for an early establishment of ties. It will definitely bring advantageous policies, and greater openness to the Church," said Father Pan Yinbao, a priest affiliated with the official Church in Yingtan, in an interview with Reuters. "There is a need for change. There is a need for adjustment." Lin's apprehensions, meanwhile, are echoed in WeChat groups used by Catholics, and the few uncensored religious news sites still viewable in China like www.tianzhujiao.life – as is cautious criticism. "Churchgoers stay hopeful on the Vatican-China deal, but no one wants to live in a bird cage or only fighting for a larger space in the bird cage," read one post by a blogger named Priest Shanren.
