Since the article doesn't mention what the CCCP gets in return -- and the CCCP ALWAYS gets something in return, especially since it holds all the cards here -- this "development" seems much ado about nothing. The fact that the Vatican is "satisfied" with it says nothing.
Since the article doesn't mention what the CCCP gets in return -- and the CCCP ALWAYS gets something in return, especially since it holds all the cards here -- this "development" seems much ado about nothing. The fact that the Vatican is "satisfied" with it says nothing.
It is reasonable, then, to ask what Tuesday’s news does for the CPCA and CCP.
Thinking narrowly, it is possible local authorities see the acceptance of Shi as an opportunity to secure his endorsement for a possible CPCA coadjutor to succeed him, and in doing so establish a timeline for bringing Tianjin’s nearly 60,000 underground Catholics under state oversight.
It could also be that the CPCA hopes to use Shi in a kind of bait-and-switch PR coup for the state sanctioned Church, spinning his acceptance by the state authority as his having in fact joined the CPCA — and presenting this as reason for the approximately two dozen other underground bishops to do so as well.
Since the article doesn't mention what the CCCP gets in return -- and the CCCP ALWAYS gets something in return, especially since it holds all the cards here -- this "development" seems much ado about nothing. The fact that the Vatican is "satisfied" with it says nothing.
It actually does mention it. See below
It is reasonable, then, to ask what Tuesday’s news does for the CPCA and CCP.
Thinking narrowly, it is possible local authorities see the acceptance of Shi as an opportunity to secure his endorsement for a possible CPCA coadjutor to succeed him, and in doing so establish a timeline for bringing Tianjin’s nearly 60,000 underground Catholics under state oversight.
It could also be that the CPCA hopes to use Shi in a kind of bait-and-switch PR coup for the state sanctioned Church, spinning his acceptance by the state authority as his having in fact joined the CPCA — and presenting this as reason for the approximately two dozen other underground bishops to do so as well.