October 27, 2012: The head of the Vatican department for missionary work on Friday
issued a message to millions of Catholics and the Communist government in China, expressing
hope for a fruitful dialogue. Published in Italian, English and Chinese and titled
Five years after the publication of Benedict XVI’s Letter to the Church in China,
the 2,500-word message by Prefect Cardinal Fernando Filoni of the Congregation for
the Evangelization of Peoples carries a firm but cordial tone. Its publication
comes as the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party prepares to convene
on November 8 and give birth to the fifth generation of its leadership. Though
“dialogue” seems to be the catchword, appearing 21 times in the Chinese version of
the text, the cardinal’s message remains firm on the basis of the Pope’s letter, which
he says is predominantly religious in nature, and does not avoid mentioning the persecution
faced by Chinese Catholics. Cardinal Filoni, who headed the Holy See Study Mission
in Hong Kong to research the life of the China Church from 1992-2001, highlighted
“three recent stumbling blocks” that have hindered Sino-Vatican relations: the control
of the state over the Church; the appointment of Chinese bishop candidates and the
interference of illegitimate bishops in episcopal consecrations.