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Post by iagosan on Sept 30, 2023 7:15:48 GMT
Conversions not the goal of Church in China
Jesus Christ:
“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.”
St. Mathew 8: 18, 19
Douay-Rheims Bible
“And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.
Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.”
St. Mathew 28: 18, 20
Douay-Rheims Bible
Hong Kong cardinal elect:
“I think it is important that we say that Pope Francis made a distinction. Evangelization is really to help people to understand the love of God — and the love of God without the agenda of turning them into Catholics — because that shouldn’t be the focus, as that focus would be very restrictive,”
New Hong Kong cardinal: Sharing ‘love of God,’ not conversions, goal of Church in China
By Courtney Mares
Vatican City, Sep 28, 2023 / 12:11 pm
Cardinal-elect Stephen Chow said Sept. 28, 2023, that evangelization in China today should focus on communicating the love of God “without the agenda of turning them into Catholics.” | Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA
Vatican City, Sep 28, 2023 / 12:11 pm
Cardinal-elect Stephen Chow said Thursday that evangelization in China today should focus on communicating the love of God “without the agenda of turning them into Catholics.”
In an interview in Rome with CNA on Sept. 28, the bishop of Hong Kong, who will be made a cardinal in the consistory this weekend, spoke about his vision for evangelization in mainland China.
“I think it is important that we say that Pope Francis made a distinction. Evangelization is really to help people to understand the love of God — and the love of God without the agenda of turning them into Catholics — because that shouldn’t be the focus, as that focus would be very restrictive,” Chow said.
The cardinal-elect underlined that evangelization should help “them to come to understand our God means love, means goodwill and a better life.”
“Evangelization should be really coming to know God, who is love,” he said.
In Pope Francis’ travels to countries where Catholics are in the minority, the pope has made a distinction between “proselytism” and “evangelization.”
“Evangelization is essentially witness,” Francis told the Jesuits in Mozambique in 2019. “Proselytizing is convincing, but it is all about membership and takes your freedom away.”
During a Jan. 11. 2023, general audience, Pope Francis emphasized that evangelization and proselytism are not the same.
“And it does not begin by trying to convince others, but by witnessing every day to the beauty of the Love that has looked upon us and lifted us up,” he said of evangelization.
Francis recalled a line from a homily given by Pope Benedict XVI at a meeting of Latin American and Caribbean bishops in Aparecida, Brazil, in 2007: “The Church does not engage in proselytism. Instead, she grows by ‘attraction.’”
“Do not forget this,” Pope Francis added, calling Christians who proselytize “pagans dressed as Christians.”
The pope has also praised Venerable Matteo Ricci, a 16th-century Jesuit missionary and scholar, for his “proclamation of the Gospel” in China by proposing “the truth of the Christian faith and morality.”
The Chinese people have faced increased restrictions on religious freedom in the last decade. Catholic priests are only allowed to minister in recognized places of worship, which minors under the age of 18 are not allowed to enter.
Earlier this month, the Chinese government implemented new “Measures on the Management of Religious Activity Sites,” which ban the display of religious symbols outdoors, require preaching to “reflect core socialist values,” and limit all religious activities to government-approved religious venues, according to China Aid.
Despite the restrictions, two bishops from mainland China have been permitted to travel to Rome to participate in the Synod on Synodality assembly in October.
Chow is also a synod delegate, personally nominated by Pope Francis to take part in the nearly monthlong assembly. He said that he is “excited that the laypeople, men and women, and religious, are represented as full voting members.”
The cardinal-elect has led the Diocese of Hong Kong since December 2021. Chow said that one of the biggest challenges facing Hong Kong Catholics is how “to provide good moral education … so that we have moral citizens.”
He underlined the importance of formation in the parishes so that laypeople can evangelize outside of the parish.
“Evangelization is to your social community. Each parish is connected to your social community. We need to go out, get out of our parish, and really to connect with the social community and serve them,” he said.
www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255508/hong-kong-bishop-evangelization-in-china-shouldnt-have-agenda-of-turning-them-into-catholics
or
archive.ph/mINxW
(As true love and knowledge of God can only be shown by believing in and following the words of the second person of the Holy Trinity, it seems that this person's statement is a repudiation of 2,000 years of Church teaching and practice.) |
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Post by tisbearself on Sept 30, 2023 10:36:52 GMT
They have to say that in order to keep the government from shutting them down entirely or arresting their followers.
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Post by theguvnor on Sept 30, 2023 11:28:01 GMT
Yes, exactly. The pragmatic reality is if they said anything they would all be cooling their heels in jails.
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Post by iagosan on Oct 1, 2023 6:57:19 GMT
The dilemma of a newly created “Prince of the Church”:
“Apostasy or bearing witness to Christ and possible martyrdom?”
Hmmm, Let me think on that a while!…………….”
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Post by homeschooldad on Oct 1, 2023 7:03:50 GMT
They have to say that in order to keep the government from shutting them down entirely or arresting their followers. While discretion is of the utmost importance in dealing with oppressive regimes that threaten to persecute the Church, the Great Commission hasn't changed. Our Lord wishes everyone to come into His One True Catholic Church. I hope all concerned realize that. In a place like China, words must be weighed very carefully. Conversion is ultimately the work of the Holy Ghost anyway. |
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Post by tisbearself on Oct 1, 2023 10:38:00 GMT
It doesn’t cheer me up that certain Catholic clerics in other parts of the world lately have been treating “conversion” like it’s a dirty word. They’d probably be better off saying what you said, that our job is to live our best lives as Catholic Christian witnesses to the love of Jesus Christ and tell others about that, and that ultimately conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, we as humans cannot push people to join the Church.
However, in China and similarly oppressive countries, the leaders need to more carefully choose their words so I am way more likely to excuse them than if they were a bishop in Portugal or USA. It is unfortunate in USA that Evangelicals are not shy about saying you must be saved through the blood of Jesus in order to have eternal life but the Catholics don’t want to say that for fear of somehow “excluding” someone.
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Post by homeschooldad on Oct 1, 2023 17:38:04 GMT
It doesn’t cheer me up that certain Catholic clerics in other parts of the world lately have been treating “conversion” like it’s a dirty word. They’d probably be better off saying what you said, that our job is to live our best lives as Catholic Christian witnesses to the love of Jesus Christ and tell others about that, and that ultimately conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, we as humans cannot push people to join the Church. However, in China and similarly oppressive countries, the leaders need to more carefully choose their words so I am way more likely to excuse them than if they were a bishop in Portugal or USA. It is unfortunate in USA that Evangelicals are not shy about saying you must be saved through the blood of Jesus in order to have eternal life but the Catholics don’t want to say that for fear of somehow “excluding” someone. I, too, admire the unabashed plain-spokenness of the evangelicals, but if we tried similar tactics in this country, we'd be labeled as a "hate group" and summarily "canceled". Unambiguous profession of the Real Presence might be a good place to start --- some other Christians perceive themselves as having it (Anglicans, Lutherans, and even Methodists), but typically don't take it to the level we do, adoration, benediction, and so on. The evangelicals weigh their tactics according to the time and place as well. They are very discreet in their missionary efforts in Muslim lands. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2023 20:56:02 GMT
In states that profess Marxism-Leninism, of which China is the foremost example today, Christian Churches rely on the goodwill of the state to survive. Because the Chinese government is atheistic and desires the elimination of religion, the Catholic Church exists in a very difficult position: on the one hand, its existence is guaranteed by the Chinese government as it is a recognised religion. On the other hand, the government simultaneously desires its elimination.
It was the same in the Soviet Union with the Russian Orthodox Church, which used to be called "the only legal counter-revolutionary organisation". The idea was that the Church could exist, but ultimately the goal of the state would be to educate the people out of being believers and thus destroy the Church.
So active proselytising on behalf of the Chinese Church would only lead to more problems for it. Don't forget that just going to Mass in China can be difficult for some people. Sometimes Chinese bishops say things that seem bizarre, but we have to remember the situation they live under every day.
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Post by iagosan on Oct 2, 2023 8:08:30 GMT
A recent very interesting report regarding Sinicization of religion in China from National Catholic Register:
"Vatican Largely Silent as China Forces Catholics to ‘Adapt to Socialist Society’
For many years, knowledgeable voices have been warning the Vatican about the dangers of Sinicization.
Edward Pentin Vatican
March 20, 2023
VATICAN CITY — As the Chinese Communist Party continues to enforce its Sinicization program, placing ever tighter controls on religions and co-opting them to promote Marxist doctrine, the Vatican remains largely silent publicly despite the program’s total incompatibility with the Catholic faith.
In an address on March 5 to open China’s National People’s Congress, outgoing Chinese Premier Li Keqiang boasted of how much the Sinicization of religions has been implemented, saying it has ........."
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zerg
New Member
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Post by zerg on Oct 2, 2023 8:10:46 GMT
Can we say that we should be grateful that we live in countries where we may practice our faith? (serious tone).
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Post by tisbearself on Oct 2, 2023 11:29:12 GMT
Hey, I’m grateful for the religious freedom and protections provided by USA. It was a big reason my mother’s family emigrated here.
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