Vatican renewing deal with China, despite trial of Cardinal Joseph Zen

Roman Catholic Church in Jingzhou, China (Zhangzhugang)

China and the Vatican continue to work together:

October 20, 2022

ROME – Amid increased controversy as a trial against a prominent Chinese cardinal continues to move forward in Hong Kong, the Vatican and China will for the second time renew their provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops.

Speaking to Crux, a high-ranking Vatican official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the renewal publicly, said “the agreement with China is scheduled to be renewed on (the) 22nd of October 2022, with no changes to the terms.” …

Though the terms of the agreement have never been made public, the deal, brokered in September 2018, is believed to be modeled after the Holy See’s agreement with Vietnam, allowing the Holy See to pick bishops from a selection of candidates proposed by the government. …

The deal, which many experts in Sino-Vatican relations believe is an initial down payment on eventually forging formal diplomatic ties with China, was renewed in October 2020, just weeks after then-United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized the accord in an article published in a popular conservative magazine.

In a commentary published in rightwing magazine First Things, Pompeo highlighted what he argued were human rights and religious freedom abuses in China, suggesting that the Vatican and Pope Francis risk losing moral authority for not challenging China on religious freedom. https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2022/10/vatican-china-deal-to-be-renewed-with-no-changes-to-terms

Notice the following regarding China and the Vatican from earlier this year:

July 8, 2022

The pope is hoping to renew the Vatican’s secretive accord with China.

This according to an exclusive interview Francis gave to Reuters on Saturday.

In tonight’s In-Depth Report, Church Militant’s Dr. William Mahoney looks at the pope’s ongoing betrayal of faithful Catholics in China.

Cdl. Joseph Zen: “They have sold our Church.”

Hong Kong’s Cdl. Joseph Zen lamented the clandestine Vatican–China accord, which was first established in 2018 as a provisional agreement between the Holy See and the Chinese Communist Party (or “CCP”).

Yet despite the disastrous results of that deal, Francis declared in Saturday’s interview, “The agreement is moving well, and I hope that in October it can be renewed.”

Cdl. Zen: “Now, we are in a desperate situation. Humanly speaking, the Church is going to disappear ― the real Church.”

The accord was renewed in 2020 and will likely be renewed soon for a third time.

In China, there are, in effect, two churches: those faithful to Rome, known as the “underground Church,” and those approved by the CCP, known as the so-called official church. https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/third-times-a-charm

Since the above came out, Cardinal Zen was arrested and is now on trial.

Related to that PCG posted:

October 20, 2022

Cardinal Joseph Zen went to trial on September 26 in Hong Kong on charges of supporting pro-democracy movements. He and other trustees of the now-defunct 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund were arrested in May for “colluding with foreign forces” under China’s controversial National Security Law. Authorities later changed the charge to failing to register the fund with the government. Zen and the others pleaded not guilty. Zen, age 90, is the retired bishop of Hong Kong. …

At mass the following Sunday, Pope Francis lambasted the Chinese Communist Party for what happened. He said negotiations for normalizing relations with Beijing were over. “We will not stand by while China’s political games interfere with Catholics’ right to worship,” Francis said. “The Chinese government has showed a lack of good faith and we cannot continue this fruitless dialogue.”

This was the expected response from the pope—but the above paragraph is fiction. Instead, there’s barely been a peep of support for Zen from the Vatican. …

Cardinal Zen was among the most vocal opponents of the deal, saying it was a betrayal of Chinese Catholics. Zen told the Guardian in 2016:

Maybe the pope is a little naive; he doesn’t have the background to know the Communists in China. … You cannot go into negotiations with the mentality “we want to sign an agreement at any cost,” then you are surrendering yourself, you are betraying yourself, you are betraying Jesus Christ. If you cannot get a good deal, an acceptable deal, then the Vatican should walk away and maybe try again later. Could the church negotiate with Hitler? Could it negotiate with Stalin? No.

Comparing the actions of the pope, the purported “vicar of Christ,” as a “betrayal of Jesus Christ” is pretty strong. Zen might as well have claimed the pope was making a deal with the devil. Zen has been speaking up against the 2018 deal for years now; and the Vatican has snubbed him all these years. Now he’s facing trial, and the pope blames Zen for his predicament. Keep in mind that Zen is a cardinal—a “prince of the church.” https://www.thetrumpet.com/26257-catholic-cardinal-on-trial-in-china

Yes, the Vatican will sacrifice its own for a deal with China as the above hints.

Many Roman Catholics in and out of China had concerns about this deal with China when it happened. Here is a report related to its previous renewal from a group called Church Militant whose logo is shown below:

Vatican Renews ‘Deal With the Devil’

October 22, 2020

VATICAN CITY (ChurchMilitant.com) – Despite fierce global opposition, Rome has renewed its controversial concordat with China, claiming that the deal has done away with “illegitimate bishops” and resulted in securing the “communion of all Chinese bishops with the pope.” …

‘Deal With the Devil’

Damian Thompson, associate editor of Britain’s The Spectator, told Church Militant that ” the Vatican under Pope Francis has essentially done a deal with the Devil, betraying faithful and suffering Catholics and other Christians into the hands of their totalitarian persecutors.”

“We should pay no attention to claims that this evil concordat is the work of Cdl. Parolin — dreadfully compromised though he is — and that the pope has merely been misled on this. The responsibility for this wicked act lies squarely with the pope himself,” Thompson stressed.

Boasting that the deal had ended the existence of “illegitimate bishops” — i.e., prelates appointed by the Holy Father and not by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Parolin explained that the agreement would not be signed again but “simply extended for another two years ad experimentum.” …

Asked if the pact would remain secret, the Vatican’s second-in-command replied: “Yes, but it is a relative secret because many contents are already known. By agreement of the two parties, the contents will be kept confidential as long as the agreement is an experiment.” …

In comments to Church Militant, Rahima Mahmut, head of the U.K. World Uyghur Congress, said:

This is a sellout — a betrayal of Catholics and other Christians in China, a betrayal of the Uyghurs, a betrayal of values of human rights and human dignity and a betrayal of the Church’s values and moral authority. In the past two years the situation for religious freedom in China has worsened, not only for the Uyghurs Muslims but also for Christians, Tibetans, Hong Kongers and others. Increasingly, experts around the world are recognizing the atrocity crimes against the Uyghurs as a genocide.

Only yesterday, she explained, a Canadian Parliament subcommittee described the egregious human rights violations as a genocide. But “the very next day, the Vatican renews its agreement with the CCP. Uyghurs, Christians, Tibetans and Hong Kongers will feel today that Pope Francis and the Vatican have abandoned them,” she marveled.

Cdl. Zen Outspoken on ‘Sellout’

In September, 88-year-old Chinese cardinal Joseph Zen — who was refused a meeting by Pope Francis after arriving at the Vatican — pointed out that the deal had left important dioceses without a bishop or with the impending appointment of a bishop approved by the CCP.

“The agreement concerns the appointment of bishops: Well, in two years there has been no new appointment. On the other hand, under the pretext of the agreement, seven excommunicated bishops were recognized by the Holy See,” Zen lamented. …

In a last-ditch attempt urging the Vatican to reconsider the treaty, a bipartisan duo of U.S. senators wrote to Pope Francis Monday.

“As the leader of the world’s largest institution of faith, we respectfully request that Your Holiness do all that you can to protect the most basic human rights for all people, including Uyghurs in Xinjiang,” Republican Todd Young and Democrat Tim Kaine pleaded.

Commentators also suggested that news announcing Pope Francis’ support for homosexual civil unions was timed to distract from the renewal of the China accord. https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/rome-renews-china-deal-no-more-illegitimate-bishops

As far as Pope Francis’ promotion of homosexual ‘civil unions,’ that was reported here yesterday (see Fratelli Tutti, the Beast, and Freemasonry).

As far as “illegitimate bishops” go, the pagan Roman Emperor Constantine, when he had not even been baptized, declared himself a bishop, convened the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., insisted on a non-biblical date for Passover, and his godhead views were ultimately accepted at the Council of Constantinople in 381.

So, while having “illegitimate bishops” seems to be an issue to some, the reality is that the future of the Church of Rome was, to a great degree, impacted by the illegitimate bishop Constantine.

So why would the Vatican have renewed the deal in 2020 and looks to do so in 2022?

Pope Francis is more focused on his interfaith and ecumenical agendas than keeping with the protocols his church usually follows related to bishops and certain other matters.

What he has done seems to be consistent with various prophecies.

Consider that the Catholics of Rome have prophecies that those all over the world, and specifically those in Russia and China, as well as elsewhere in Asia (probably including India and Japan, etc., who they consider to be mainly pagans) will become a revised form of “Catholic” and will essentially be supportive of the coming European empire:

Bl. Anna-Maria Taigi (19th century). Whole nations will come back to the Church and the face of the earth will be renewed. Russia…and China will come into the Church. (Dupont Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p.45)

St. Bridget (14th century): Before Antichrist comes, the portals of Faith will be opened to great numbers of pagans (Birch, DA. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before During and After Antichrist. Queenship Publishing Company, Goleta (CA), 1996, p. 449)

Venerable Magdalene Porzat (died 1850) (Great Monarch)…shall…restore to their dominions the legitimate kings. A just and pious man born in Galacia shall be the Supreme Pontiff: then the whole world will be united and prosperous. One faith only and one emperor shall reign over the whole earth (Connor, p. 38).

Cardinal La Roque (c. 18th century): A regeneration of Faith will appear in Asia (Culleton, R. Gerald. The Prophets and Our Times. Nihil Obstat: L. Arvin. Imprimatur: Philip G. Scher, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno, November 15, 1941. Reprint 1974, TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 193)

Elizabeth Canori-Mora (died 1825):…Such is the glorious triumph reserved for the Catholic Church; she shall be praised, honored and esteemed by all men. All men shall become Catholics, and shall acknowledge the Pope as Vicar of Jesus Christ.” (Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p.24)

Bl. Anna-Maria Taigi (19th century). After the three days of darkness, St. Peter and St. Paul, having come down from Heaven, will preach in the whole world and designate a new Pope. A great light will flash from their bodies and will settle upon the cardinal who is to become Pope. Christianity, then, will spread throughout the world. He is the Holy Pontiff, chosen by God to withstand the storm. At the end, he will have the gift of miracles, and his name shall be praised over the whole earth. (Dupont, p.45)

Mother Alphonse Eppinger (1867): “After God has purified the world faith and peace will return. Whole nations will adhere to the teachings of the Catholic Church.” (Connor, p.25)

Pope Leo XIII (1893): The Orient, courageously and successfully explored by the Portuguese, is coveted by many today for its lucrative trade. We, however, have a more noble purpose in mind…To take care, therefore, of the preservation and propagation of the Catholic religion among the Hindus, a Hindu clergy has to be formed that could administer the sacraments and govern the Christian people properly, no matter how menacing the times…Be sure that the role of Christianity in such remote regions becomes well known. Make your people understand that something must be done for the Hindus (Leo XIII. AD EXTREMAS ON SEMINARIES FOR NATIVE CLERGY. Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII promulgated on June 24, 1893. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_24061893_ad-extremas_en.html viewed 07/19/09).

But this acceptance of the “Catholic” leaders in Asia will not last. Perhaps I should mention that even many Catholic writers have warned that one that they call an “antipope” will lead a changed church calling itself “Catholic” that will be an ecumenical world religion that many all over the world will follow, but should not follow (see also Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies?).

The Bible, itself, warns that the City of Seven Hills (Rome) will be wrongly involved with secular governments:

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” 3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

9 Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. … 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:1-9,18)

9. And here is understanding, that hath wisdom. The seven heads: are seven hills, upon which the woman sitteth, and they are seven kings. (Apocalypse 17:9, New Testament translated out of the Latin Vulgate)

⁴ Come out, my people, away from her, so that you do not share in her crimes and have the same plagues to bear. (Revelation 18:4, NJB)

The Vatican’s deal with China is consistent with end time prophecies involving the City of Seven Hills/Mountains–which even Vatican scholars realize is a biblical reference to Rome (some proof is in the article What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History?).

The continual compromise with China is only part of many improper deals that the Vatican will make.

It will also support various deals with Europe–but that will ultimately result in destruction for the Church of Rome (cf. Revelation 17:16-18)–but that is at least several years away–though we are getting closer to that.

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