Xi’s Pope, by Declan Leary

As expected, the Holy See has announced an extension of its provisional agreement with the People’s Republic of China, concerning the appointment of bishops. Under the controversial agreement, episcopal candidates will be recommended to the Holy See by the Chinese Communist Party, then approved and appointed by the Holy Father. The plan’s experimental phase will now continue until October 22, 2022.

The treaty has drawn understandable ire from Catholics concerned that such deference to such a hostile regime will do great, material damage to the Chinese faithful. Whether or not the Vatican is acting in bad faith, anyone with more sense than your average curial apparatchik (which is far less sense than it should be) can see fairly easily that the Vatican is acting on bad judgment.  ….