BEIJING — Catholics are upset about a directive from China's
communist government asking priests to "preach on patriotism" as a
condition for reopening liturgical services, suspended earlier this year
because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ucanews.com reported the Catholic Patriotic Association and the
Chinese Catholic educational administration committee of Zhejiang province
jointly issued a notice May 29 on the resumption of liturgical activities.
"Religious places that meet the conditions of epidemic
prevention will resume services from June 2," it said while adding the
patriotism requirement.
Father Liu of Hebei told ucanews.com it would be good to resume
church activities, but the requirement on patriotism "is wrong. As members
of the universal Catholic Church, we cannot accept and glorify what communists
consider patriotic education."
Jacob Chung, a Wenzhou parishioner, said the government's move
"has seriously interfered in the internal affairs of religion."
A church observer in China who sought anonymity said the government
was forcing religious leaders to add patriotism and Sinicization as part of
religious teaching.
Amid the ongoing trade war with other countries and an economic
slowdown at home, the Chinese Communist Party "is afraid of a
counterrevolution. So they want people to hold on to patriotism," he said.
He said the communists want to "suppress and transform"
the church to sing the communist tune lest Christians criticize the regime.
Religious activities have been gradually resuming since June 2 in
Sichuan province, Shaanxi province and Shanghai after the Joint Conference of
National Religious Organizations held a video conference on May 30 about plans
to reopen religious places.
The other terms in the notice issued by Zhejiang authorities,
however, are associated with preventive measures against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The notice asked churches to avoid nonessential religious
activities, reduce the number of participants and shorten religious activities.
In some provinces such as Sichuan, Christians were asked to seek
authorities' permission to resume religion classes.
Shanghai Diocese has issued a circular limiting the number of
people attending services and outlining preventive measures against the
pandemic.
Paul Fang from Wenzhou Diocese said parishioners have been
looking forward to the resumption of Masses. He said his parish has already
purchased temperature checkers, masks, disinfectant and other items.
As the number of people is limited, the parish priest has decided
to increase the frequency of daily Masses, Fang said.
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