The winds are shifting

Hong Kong, Jun. 14, 2005 (CNA) - During a luncheon Tuesday at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong, Bishop Joseph Zen told reporters that the Vatican's policy on China has not changed under Pope Benedict XVI and that the Vatican desires to make every effort in order to normalize relations with Beijing.
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"The Holy See is ready to switch diplomatic relations with Taiwan to Beijing. Until now the Holy See never unilaterally abandoned any friend," he said. "So this time, it may be forced to make a painful decision, because otherwise the China authority would not accept dialogue with the Holy See”. But, the bishop cautioned, the Vatican should only accept normalization if Beijing will guarantee genuine religious freedom. "The Vatican should be sure that the Beijing government is going to grant a real religious freedom. It's unfair to switch diplomatic relations and to start negotiations later. Nobody works that way," he added.
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Read the complete article Hong Kong bishop says Vatican is “anxious” to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing from Catholic News Agency.

If the Holy See goes through with this, it could very well end up as a fiasco. Let's face it. Do we really think that the Chinese are going to grant real religious freedom and respect that freedom down the line? AsiaNews.it has stories just about every week on this or that bishop or priest either going to jail or being released.

If the Holy See were to cut off relations with a democracy and open relations with the People's Republic of China based on promises of religious freedom (would this freedom apply only to Catholics? Would Falun Gong members remain imprisoned in the Bamboo Gulag?), it would display a level of naiveté that would be incomprehensible.