Is China an Obstacle for the Leading Papal Contender?

Cardinal Who Sought to Improve Relations Between Pope Francis and China
Criticism Continues Over the Vatican-China Agreement on the Appointment of Bishops

As the conclave to elect a new pope approaches, it has emerged that a leading papal contender is the architect behind the Vatican-China agreement on the appointment of bishops, a long-standing issue between the Holy See and China. Attention is focused on whether this will influence the papal election.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Italy) is the Secretary of State, the second highest official of the Holy See, and was the "right hand" who assisted Pope Francis for over 10 years until his passing. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

On May 5 (local time), the British daily Financial Times (FT) reported that Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Italy), a prominent candidate for the next pope, is burdened by the 2018 Vatican-China agreement on the appointment of bishops. Cardinal Parolin, who serves as Secretary of State, the second highest official in the Holy See, is being evaluated as having his signature achievement?improving relations with China?become an obstacle in his path to the papacy.

Previously, the Catholic Church in China had long been divided between the "underground church," loyal to the Vatican, and the official church recognized by Chinese authorities. Because the Vatican maintained diplomatic relations with Taiwan rather than China, China had independently appointed its own bishops. However, since his inauguration in 2013, Pope Francis worked to improve relations with China. In September 2018, the two sides reached a provisional agreement on the contentious issue of bishop appointments, which has been renewed several times. This agreement gave China an official say in the appointment of bishops within its territory, but criticism has continued.

In particular, at the time of the 2018 agreement, Cardinal Joseph Zen, former Archbishop of Hong Kong, strongly criticized, saying, "The Holy See has sold out Catholicism to China." John Allen Jr., editor of the Catholic news website Crux, pointed out, "For generations, Chinese Catholics have suffered martyrdom and persecution by refusing to accept Communist Party control over the Church," adding, "Some see the deal (between the Holy See and China) as a betrayal of the suffering they endured."

Lucia Cheung of the Centre for Catholic Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong criticized, "This agreement has trapped the Holy See," and added, "Chinese authorities will appoint bishops as they wish, without respecting the virtues required for the position or the will of the Church." Francesco Sisci, an expert on Vatican-China relations, also pointed out that China has delayed the appointment process and failed to install agreed-upon bishops in many dioceses, stating, "The return on investment has been minimal." Even after the agreement, China has sometimes appointed new bishops without the Vatican's approval.

As Cardinal Parolin emerges as a leading contender for the papacy, his achievements have become a point of criticism. Known for his moderate stance, Cardinal Parolin is a veteran Vatican diplomat who has handled relations with countries that have tense ties with the Holy See, including Vietnam, North Korea, Israel, and China. He served as the Vatican's ambassador to Venezuela in 2009, and after Pope Francis was inaugurated in 2013, he became Secretary of State and led efforts to improve relations between the Vatican and China.

In particular, his efforts to improve relations have not been recognized as an achievement by far-right Catholic groups in the United States, who seek to expand their influence with strong financial power. Chinese state media Study Times also reported, "China will want the new pope to be friendly toward China and not to develop excessively close ties with Taiwan."