Underground Chinese Church:“¡The Vatican is forcing us to obey perverted bishops!”

Rorate Caeli 

By Guest-contributor 小鱼儿
I recently read Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo's interview in the National Catholic Register. I initially wanted to ignore his statements, like I did with other Chinese "experts". However, these past few months, the Church in China received "seismic tremors" too strong to ignore.

Considering the gravity of the matter, I thought I would share my humble musings with Rorate Caeli readers.

Surprise surprise! We have another Chinese "expert" talking about the Church in China. Mind you, an "expert" who doesn't speak Chinese, doesn't understand Chinese culture, and whose experience of China is visiting government-approved places. (What I like to call "tourist traps".) How absurd is that? It's like an Argentinian saying he's an expert on the United States because he once visited Jacksonville, Florida!

Why don't we have REAL Chinese people and experts at the diplomacy table? Why did they get rid of 2 high-ranking prelates (Cardinal Zen and Archbishop Hon), and replace them with "prelate-tourists" who praise Communism? Why did an 86-year-old retired Cardinal need to fly to Rome in order to hand-deliver a letter to the Holy Father? Mind you, it's a 14-hour flight!

These professional diplomats, who AREN'T Chinese and who know little about China, are making grave decisions affecting the lives of millions of Catholics. And I for one am afraid... afraid of their foolishness and naïveté!

They wish to help us regularize our situations and aid in our evangelization efforts, yet they're taking away our moral authority. They're forcing us to follow and obey hypocritical bishops who have mistresses and fathered children, who pervert the teachings of Jesus Christ, and who kowtow to the Golden Calf.

I can't speak for everyone in China. (After all, it is a HUGE country!) However, I can say that many of us in the Underground Church are deeply disheartened by their lack of dialogue with people on the ground: the ones who really matter in this situation. Before making a decision, why haven't they asked us for OUR opinions? Why haven't they asked us what WE think? Instead, they sweep us under the rug and pretend we don't exist!

Perhaps they're used to an emasculated clergy with no backbone, who are too eager to be Caesar's lapdogs. But we're not!

-While their clergy was busy molesting children and perverting Christ's teachings, our clergy were busy offering their blood for our Holy Faith.

-While their clergy was too busy living in luxury apartments, our clergy was living in prisons and under house-arrest.

-While their clergy was too busy perverting the truth from the pulpit, our clergy was heroically announcing the Gospel.

-While their clergy was too busy condoning homosexuality and abortion, our clergy was too busy condemning social injustices and evils.

Take a look at their empty churches, their dwindling parishioners, their lack of priestly and religious vocations! Is this zeal for our Heavenly Father's house? Or is it a sign of indifference and a spirit of defeat? Meanwhile, despite persecution and poverty, by God's grace the Church in China continues to grow. And grow we will, as long as we continue to be faithful to Our Lord!

Let me make myself clear. The majority of us in the Underground Church are not against unification or having our situation regularized. We are happy to embrace the Prodigal Son and wish to be faithful citizens! However, we mustn't do so at the cost of our faith! Our vocation is to be St. John at Calvary, not Thieving Judas who betrayed Our Blessed Lord!

We wish to be with Prodigal Son, and Feast in Our Father's home! Yet, it seems as though the "father" think it's better for us to live in a "bigger home": a home where the children are abused and neglected. I ask you, is this what a father is supposed to do? To compromise on his children's well-being so they can have a bigger house? Wouldn't it be better for the father to live with his children in a small and loving home, than to sell his children off as indentured servants?

I don't know what the future holds for my people. However, there is one thing for sure, I will not stay silent as my brethren are led to the abattoir! The current diplomats are making grave errors. Unless they start better communicating with people on the ground, they'll eventually end up with an expensive "fake designer bag" with holes in it!

Our Lady of China and St. Joseph, pray for us and protect us!