http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/21/business/vatican.php
Joseph Li Shan was appointed the bishop of Beijing on Friday. He was selected by the Chinese government. (Andy Wong/AP) Vatican approves Chinese choice for bishop of Beijing church By Ian Fisher Friday, September 21, 2007 ROME: The Vatican sent an unmistakable signal that it approved of the choice of the new bishop of Beijing, as it published an article in its official newspaper on the ordination Friday of the new bishop, the Reverend Joseph Li Shan. The Vatican and the Chinese government, which controls the Catholic Church there, have long struggled over the authority to appoint bishops - and the new choice for Beijing, the Chinese capital, was considered both important and delicate. But in the days leading up to Li's appointment, it seemed increasingly apparent that the Vatican and China, in this case at least, had quietly agreed on Li, 42, who was installed in Beijing at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Any doubt vanished with the appearance of the article in the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, which is often used to make subtler communications when the Vatican wishes to avoid more direct ones. This one was relatively short, buried on the second page with other world news. Although the article did not say directly whether Pope Benedict XVI agreed with the choice, it said that local Catholics had told the Vatican that Li and another bishop named in Guiyang in August were "worthy and qualified." The paper expressed "the wish that all the dioceses can have worthy and qualified pastors, capable of living in full communion with the Catholic Church and with the Successor of Peter in announcing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Chinese people." The government administers all religion in China. But popes have insisted on naming clergy and bishops, a right claimed most recently this summer by Benedict in a letter to Chinese Catholics. The issue has not been settled, and experts seemed divided on whether the outward calm over Li signaled the start of better relations or merely that neither side wished to antagonize the other. In Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence outside Rome, the pope also spoke out Friday against terrorism but strongly warned democracies not to undermine their own values as they fight against terror attacks. "Society naturally has a right to defend itself, but this right must be exercised with complete respect for moral and legal norms, including the choice of means and ends," he said. "Indeed, how can we claim to protect democracy if we threaten its very foundation?" Benedict added. "Consequently, it is necessary both to keep careful watch over the security of civil society and its citizens while at the same time safeguarding the inalienable rights of all. Terrorism needs to be fought with determination and effectiveness, mindful that if the mystery of evil is widespread today, the solidarity of mankind in goodness is an even more pervasive mystery." [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
