Chinese bishops to attend first Vatican synod

Credit: Asia News

Source: Vatican Media

For the first time, two Chinese Catholic bishops are to take part from Wednesday in a synod, with peers at the Vatican, the Holy See said.

The news follows the recent signing of a provisional agreement between Holy See and the People's Republic of China, under which Pope Francis recognised seven clergy initially ordained by Beijing without the Vatican's approval. "The Holy Father had invited Chinese bishops in the past but they were never able to come," said Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, who is to preside at the synod of bishops on 'Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment' from 3-28 October.

The Holy See and China reached a provisional agreement on 22 September under which Pope Francis recognised seven clergy initially ordained by Beijing without the Vatican's approval. The accord could pave the way for the normalisation of ties between the Catholic Church and the world's most populous country.

One of those recognised, Bishop Joseph Guo Jincai, is to attend the synod, along with Bishop John Baptist Yang Xiaotin, another member of the Patriotic Catholic Association, a body created by the Chinese government to administer the Church.