Chinese patriotic assembly gets underway to build Church independent of the Vatican

(December 08, 2010) The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, CCPA - on Tuesday, began its eighth National Assembly of Catholic Representatives in Beijing. The goal of the 3-day Assembly is to support patriotism and independent Church principles, resist outside forces and unite all clergy and Catholics to walk the path of socialist society and build a church independent of the Vatican.The Government sponsored CCPA defies the Pope’s authority.Many Catholic bishops in attendance were forced into attending the meeting.
In his Letter to Chinese Catholics in March, Pope Benedict XVI had said that the CCPA and the Bishops’ Conference, as well as the Assembly of Catholic Representatives are organisations whose purpose is “irreconcilable” with the Catholic faith. For this reason, the Vatican back in March told Chinese prelates not to attend the event. For the past four years, the Assembly had to be postponed because official bishops had refused to participate, following directives from the Holy See. AsiaNews reported that a number of bishops have gone into hiding or said they were sick, to avoid being dragged to Beijing. Others have been forcibly taken by government officials. Some, knowing that they could not refuse, came on their own but have refused to concelebrate Masses because of the presence of excommunicated bishops.
In Hong Kong, members of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission staged a protest outside China’s Liaison Office. Demonstrators stressed that the three-day assembly violates Catholic Canon Law and undermines the freedom and normal operation of the Catholic Church. The commission called for the release of detained clergymen.