China Escalates War on Religion, by William Mahoney, Ph.D.

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TRANSCRIPT

The Chinese Communist Party, or CCP, is cracking down, yet again, on religion.

Effective May 1, the new “Administrative Measures for Religious Clergy” includes a database on religious personnel to track rewards, punishments and revocation of ministry.

Furthermore, anybody wishing to exercise religious ministry in mainland China must:

• support the leadership of the CCP

• support the socialist system

• respect the Constitution, laws, regulations and rules

• practice the fundamental values of socialism

• adhere to the religious policy of China

The rules further dictate the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, or CCPA, an arm of the CCP, will select, approve and ordain bishops.

There is no mention of the Vatican or its involvement in the episcopal process, raising even more questions about the secretive Vatican-China accord reached in 2018 and renewed in 2020.

That deal is so surreptitious not even one of two living Chinese cardinals knows what’s in it or who’s behind a related Vatican document urging underground Catholics — those faithful to the Holy See — to join the CCPA. …