WHY SOME PROTESTANT CHURCHES, RADICAL MUSLIMS, COMMUNISTS, ATHEISTS AND SATANISTS HATE THE CHRISTIAN CROSS?

Source: ChinaAid by Persecution.org
Posted Tuesday, March 15, 2016

China Authorities removing Crosses (Photo Source: Facebook International Christian Concern)

“Three Rectifications and One Demolition” Claims Four more Crosses In Wenzhou

China Aid
Reported and written in Chinese by Qiao Nong. Translated by Carolyn Song. Written and edited in English by Ava Collins.

(Wenzhou, Zhejiang—March 15, 2016) As a result of an ongoing “beautification” campaign across China’s coastal Zhejiang province, four more church crosses were demolished by authorities on Thursday and Friday of last week.

Dajing Christian Church and Bailuyu Christian Church both lost their crosses on Thursday evening, and two other crosses, those of Dongyu Church and Baiqiangdi Church, were demolished the next day. Church members of a fifth church, Nange Church, reported receiving a demolition notice for their cross as well.

According to the members of these churches, the many of the demolitions occurred very late at night or early in the morning, when it was least likely that the churches would have people present to resist. One anonymous member said that their church fended off a demolition attempt earlier in the evening at 9 p.m., only to have authorities return at midnight and complete the job.

Since the beginning of March, approximately 10 crosses have been torn down across Wenzhou. Other churches which have managed to protect their crosses from demolition teams have had water and electricity turned off by the city. It is estimated that around 2,000 church crosses have been demolished in Zhejiang as a result of the campaign, titled “Three Rectifications and One Demolition,” which began in April 2014.

ASIA NEWS: A "miracle" at the Holy Door in Zhengding: 10,000 underground Catholics celebrate the Jubilee without arrests (Gallery)

Police stood before the cathedral and among the faithful, some in plainclothes; yet everything went smoothly. Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo is not recognized by the government and is under house arrest, monitored day and night. He is often forced to attend indoctrination classes away from his diocese. Pressures continue on underground priests – even with enticements and cash – to join the Patriotic Association.

Rome (AsiaNews) - "It's a miracle! It is protection from Heaven!” said some Catholics from the underground community in Zhengding (Hebei) after what happened on Sunday, December 13.

About 10,000 faithful from Zhengding, Lingshou, Beijing, and Baoding had gathered outside the cathedral (pictured) to celebrate the beginning of the Jubilee and the opening of the Holy Door.

The "miracle" is that police, which is always present in front of the church, did nothing to prevent the event and did not arrest anyone. (Perhaps) an even greater miracle was the fact that the underground bishop led the liturgy, which lasted from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Mgr Julius Jia Zhiguo, who is not recognized by the government, has been under house arrest for years for refusing to join the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA), and for remaining loyal to the pope.

The CPCA is a Communist Party agency whose aim is to establish a Catholic Church independent from the pope.

Mgr Jia Zhiguo lives near Zhengding cathedral and is monitored day and night. He is often taken away for a week or two of “holiday" – i.e. classes of indoctrination and brainwashing – to convince him to join the CPCA.

Despite this, "it is amazing,” said a nun, “that so many people could gather for so long and no one was arrested. It is likely that there were plainclothes police mingled with the crowd, but nothing happened."

A procession followed by a series of readings from Misericordiae Vultus, Pope Francis’ Bull of Indiction of the Jubilee of Mercy, preceded the solemn opening of the Holy Door in Zhengding. A single Eucharistic ceremony followed the door opening.

For years, the Chinese government has been trying to eliminate unregistered underground communities, whose “crime” is that of engaging in unsupervised religious activities. For this reason, priests involved in underground services are often imprisoned.

In recent months, many underground priests and bishops have come under strong pressure to join the CPCA, through enticements and offers of money.

Despite the constant monitoring to which he is subjected, Mgr Jia Zhiguo is well liked by the police as well as the population.

For a long time, he hosted at his residence about 200 abandoned children and disabled people, taking care of them along with some nuns and faithful.

Chinese Bishop Joseph Fan Zhong Liang, SJ, a hero for Christ- a witness and a martyr (RIP)

The Church of Christ has been persecuted from the very beginning of its existence until to our present times.  Please pray for our pastors and all workers in His vineyard for courage and strength-- their seed of martyrdom is a living testament that WE BELONG to the REAL CHURCH of CHRIST-- the CATHOLIC CHURCH.

 
Article from Catholic-sf.org 

Shanghai ’s Vatican-approved bishop, Joseph Fan Zhong Liang, SJ, died at age 96 on March 16 – a Jesuit and convert to Catholicism who resisted Communism and affirmed his Catholic faith during more than 20 years of prison and labor camp, followed by decades of surveillance, arrests and harassment.

“He was never free,” said St. Cecilia parishioner Mary Bernadette Chien, who knew Bishop Fan from before 1955. Both were among the thousands arrested on Sept. 8, 1955, by the Communists in a sweep that netted thousands of lay Catholics, priests, seminarians and nuns. “He was loyal to Christ, his church, to the end,” Chien said.

Bishop Fan refused to affiliate with the government controlled Catholic church, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.

“Fan’s passing marks the end of the generation of Chinese bishops in Shanghai who lived through China’s transition to a Communist country,” Anthony E. Clark, author of “China’s Saints: Catholic Martyrdom During the Qing, 1644-1911,” and an assistant professor of Chinese history at Whitworth University, wrote on IgnatiusInsight.com.

Asia News reported that70 priests, of both the open and the underground Catholic Church, concelebrated the funeral Mass at a funeral parlor, and about 5,000 Catholics attended the Mass. The priests wore red stoles for martyrdom, priests told Asia News. Bishop Fan could not be buried in the cathedral, Asia News reported because the government never acknowledged him as bishop but friends bought a plot in a cemetery where his cremated remains were to be buried.

Longtime San Franciscan Chien herself was imprisoned for her Catholic faith in 1955, spending a year and nine months in prison in Shanghai before being allowed to leave for Hong Kong and eventually the United States, she said, calling imprisonment a time of “great joy” because she knew she was suffering for her faith.

Bishop Fan, born Jan. 13, 1918, converted to Catholicism in 1932. He was ordained a priest in 1951. Released in 1978 after 23 years in prison and labor camp, Bishop Fan was consecrated a bishop in 1985.

“He was never free,” Chien said, recounting that Bishop Fan was arrested many times, always under government surveillance, his house searched, and money given to him for support of the underground Catholic Church confiscated. When he died, Chien said, Bishop Fan had been “a prisoner for Christ the past 60 years.

Priests in China arrested for not supporting illicit ordination

Chinese youth make an appeal for World Youth Day in Madrid

Rome (AsiaNews) – Fifteen young Chinese Catholics would like to participate in World Youth Day scheduled for 16-21 August in Madrid (Spain). Although they work and have saved some money, they cannot sustain the cost of travel and for this reason would like to ask other young people around the world for their help.

AsiaNews received the appeal yesterday, a day before the World Day of Prayer for China, which Benedict XVI has promoted to strengthen the faith and the unity of Chinese Catholics with the universal Church and the pope.

The desire to travel to Madrid for World Youth Day is similarly motivated. “These young people live their faith in a very closed environment,” their parish priest said. “Meeting other young people who share their spirit as well as the Holy Father would be a fundamental experience of communion with the Church and of its universality.”

New bishop of Yanzhou ordained with Holy See approval

Bishop John Lu Peisen is the second legitimate pastor ordained since the beginning of the year. Two days ago the Pope's call to pray for the bishops who "suffer and are under pressure in exercising their episcopal ministry." Bishop Lu was a long time teacher at the seminary in Jinan.

Msgr. John Lu Peisen

Yanzhou (AsiaNews) – Msgr. John Lu Peisen was ordained today as bishop of Yanzhou (Shandong). Bishop Lu, who was a long time seminary professor is approved by the Holy See and the Chinese government. He is the second legitimate bishop ordained in China since the beginning of the year after Msgr. Liang Jiansen of Jiangmen. But just days ago, the honorary chairman of the Patriotic Association, Anthony Liu Bainian had promised ten episcopal ordinations without papal consent.

Bishop Lu’s ordination came two days after Benedict XVI’s call to observe the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China on May 24. In the appeal the Pope mentioned his “brother bishops” in China some of whom “suffer and find themselves under pressure in the exercise of their episcopal ministry.”

Bishop Fang Xinyao of Linyi, chairman of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, was the main celebrant. Bishops Zhao Fengchang of Liaocheng, Li Mingshu of Qingdao, Yang Yongqiang of Zhoucun and Zhang Xianwang of Jinan concelebrated. All bishops present were legitimate.

Patriotic Association threatens 10 episcopal ordinations without papal mandate

Hong Kong (AsiaNew) - The honorary chairman of the Patriotic Association, Anthony Liu Bainian has demanded that the Vatican “not interfere with the self-election and self-ordination” of bishops, [ie without papal mandate-ed] and recognize and support the elected bishops in their work of evangelization. " Liu Bainian, nicknamed "the Pope of China" as a result of his claiming to lead the entire Chinese Church, said there are still at least 10 candidates for the episcopate who will soon be elected according to the method of " self-election and self-ordination”, a method he says is "wanted by the Church in China."

Listen to Chinese bishops

Some Catholics outside China are quicker than Rome to condemn the Chinese bishops
Source: UCANews

Jeroom Heyndrickx, Belgium

China

April 1, 2011

Photo Source: 30Giorni

Father Jeroom Heyndrickx has written an article commenting on the post-Chengde situation of the Church in China where an illicit bishop was ordained last November. The article was published in the March issue of the Ferdinand Verbiest Update.

The following is his article in full:

The illegal bishops ordination at Chengde (Hebei)

should not block the 40-year-old dialogue policy of Rome

Pope Paul VI and Cardinal Agostino Casaroli started the dialogue with China in 1970

In 1964 Pope Paul VI wrote the encyclical “Ecclesiam Suam” (”His Church”) promulgating one central message of Vatican II namely: the Catholic Church wishes to dialogue with all religions and all different ideologies in the world. This was a 180 degree U-turn from the encyclical “Divini Redemptoris” (Divine Savior”) in which Pope Pius XI – in 1937, during the reign of Stalin – attacked Communism in very aggressive language calling it ‘diabolic’.

In 1970 Pope Paul VI took the first concrete steps towards dialogue with China, strongly supported in this by Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, his Secretary of State and promoter of dialogue between Rome and the Communist governments in Eastern Europe. In Rome Pope Paul VI visited the World Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). In his speech he observed that one of the biggest countries in the world was not yet a member of FAO. It was a historical and generous gesture towards China that the Pope publicly pleaded in favor of China’s membership in a UN organization at a time when the Cultural Revolution was still going on in China and well before President Nixon visited China. In 1971, when China entered the UN, the Vatican transferred the Nuncio of Taiwan to Bangladesh, leaving in Taiwan only a Chargé d’Affaires (until today).

Police isolate Hebei village after death of an underground bishop

Bishop Andrea Hou Jinli of Xiwanzi, died March 9. The date of the funeral not known while police block participation of the faithful. Bishop Hao spent 10 years in prison and 10 years in a concentration camp.

Beijing (AsiaNews / EDA) - The village of Gonghui (Hebei) has been cut off by the police to prevent large groups of Catholics who want to pay their last respects to the remains of an underground bishop.

Bishop Andrea Hao Jinli of Xiwanzi died March 9 at the age of 95. The diocese of Xiwanzi (Hebei) is a diocese of the underground Church, with 15 thousand faithful, about 260 km north of Beijing, near the border with Inner Mongolia.

Unbowed, Vatican Issued Letter to Chinese Catholic Representatives

Shame on China!

Vatican Note on Assembly of Chinese Catholic Representatives

"Its Unfolding Manifests a Repressive Attitude With Regard to the Exercise of Religious Liberty"

VATICAN CITY, DEC. 17, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Here is the communique issued today by the Vatican press office on the 8th Assembly of Chinese Catholic Representatives, which was held Dec. 7-9 in Beijing.

* * *

1. With profound sorrow, the Holy See laments the fact that from 7 to 9 December 2010 there was held in Beijing the Eighth Assembly of Chinese Catholic Representatives. This was imposed on numerous Bishops, priests, religious and lay faithful. The manner in which it was convoked and its unfolding manifest a repressive attitude with regard to the exercise of religious liberty, which it was hoped had been consigned to the past in present-day China. The persistent desire to control the most intimate area of citizens’ lives, namely their conscience, and to interfere in the internal life of the Catholic Church does no credit to China. On the contrary, it seems to be a sign of fear and weakness rather than of strength; of intransigent intolerance rather than of openness to freedom and to effective respect both of human dignity and of a correct distinction between the civil and religious spheres.

Chinese bishops deported to attend Patriotic Assembly

by W. Zhicheng - Z. Yuan

The gathering, incompatible with the faith of Catholics, aims to elect the Presidents of the Patriotic Association and the Council of Bishops. Some bishops have gone into hiding to avoid having to participate, while others have been taken against their will. The bishop of Hengshui, seized and torn from the safe cover of the faithful, dragged to Beijing.

[Read also The return of the Cultural Revolution: Chinese bishops imprisoned or hunted like criminals]

Beijing (AsiaNews) - AsiaNews sources say that some bishops and priests of the official Church have been forcibly deported to the capital to ensure their participation at the Assembly of representatives of Chinese Catholics, which the pope considers incompatible with Catholic faith.

The Assembly opened today in Beijing on a low profileand is being shrouded in secrecy: it is impossible to contact anyone and not even Xinhua is reporting on the event. The meeting should lead to the election of the national president of the Patriotic Association and president of the council of Chinese bishops, two bodies that are unacceptable to the Catholic Church because they aim to build a separate Church, detached from the pope. "It's just an election of a new round of leadership," said Liu Bainian, vice president and chairman of the PA Assembly. In fact, the gathering is the "sovereign body" of the official Chinese church in which bishops are a minority among Catholics and government representatives. Ecclesial decisions are made on the basis of rigged elections. Ahead of today's meeting, Liu Bainian had sent all participants clear indications of what to do and what to vote.

Cardinal Zen laments China’s illicit ordination of Catholic bishop

Beijing, China, (EWTN News/CNA)

xxxxxxx

China’s government-run Catholic organization has ordained a bishop without the approval of the Pope. In response, a prominent cardinal (link mine) said the action never should have happened.

Fr. Guo Jincai was ordained at Pingquan Church in northeastern Hebei province’s Chengde city on Nov. 20 in the presence of eight Vatican-approved bishops.

The ordination took place under strong security, with dozens of police blocking the building and denying entrance to reporters, the Associated Press says. At least three of the bishops had been sequestered by the government for several days to pressure them to participate.

China and the Vatican broke off diplomatic relations nearly 60 years ago over the unapproved ordinations of bishops. Relations between the Catholic Church and the Chinese government had improved in recent years, though Catholics loyal to Rome have faced harassment and persecution.