Communism can never be appeased
SIR – I am sure that most informed Catholics are aware of the agreement reached between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China on the appointment of bishops and the regularisation of the status of the state-controlled Patriotic Catholic Association.
The “underground” Church, which has remained loyal to the authority of the Pope since 1955 and has been a source of martyrs and witnesses to the faith, is now at a loss to understand this new modus vivendi. If the Holy See is now accepting the communist government’s nominations to vacant sees then we have to ask: what concessions were given by the communists in return? The Pope has the right to veto candidates but cannot nominate his own bishops.
