Before the renewal of the Vatican-China agreement, the regime ensures that no information on the repressions against Catholic conscientious objectors comes out of China.
by An Xin
On April 28, bitter winter reported that Father Huang, a priest from the Diocese of Mindong in Fujian Province, was tortured into joining the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA). The fact that this information reached foreign countries panicked the Chinese authorities. Especially before the renewal of the 2018 Vatican-China agreement, which expires in September. Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, one of the main negotiators of the agreement, believes that it should be renewed for one or two years.
A knowledgeable source from Mindong Diocese said bitter winter that local public security officers visited Father Huang to investigate how details of his torture had been leaked, claiming that the bitter winter report “undermined the unity of the Chinese Catholic Church” and resulted from “infiltration by foreign forces”.
As revealed by a government insider, because Father Huang’s torture attracted overseas attention, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security ordered to find the fugitives at all costs. They also demanded that Father Huang sign a statement denying that the government had subjected him to a method of torture known as “exhausting an eagle”, not allowing him to sleep for four days, to get him to join the CPCA.
“As the 2018 Vatican-China agreement expires soon, the CCP fears that the pope will ask it to explain the incident with Father Huang when negotiating its renewal,” commented a Catholic priest who asked anonymity. “That’s why Father Huang was forced to write a statement denying that he was tortured. They want to have a bargaining chip during negotiations.
“We hope that the Pope will reconsider renewing the agreement,” the priest continued. “Has the interim agreement benefited or harmed the churches in China? Do we have more room for development, or have we lost more freedom? We want the pope to clearly see the essence of the CCP and its attitude toward Catholicism. The regime seeks to take over all things Catholicism in China, transform unregistered clergy and control churches without interference from the Vatican. It aims to eliminate Catholicism.
The government continues to closely monitor Father Huang, and anyone who contacts him may be deemed a leaker and become the target of an investigation. Cellphones of clergy and worshipers who know about the torture are also monitored to prevent information sharing.
According to a source, an unregistered priest from another province called a practitioner in Mindong to inquire about Father Huang’s torture. Because her phone was monitored, authorities later warned her not to release details of the incident.
Despite the surveillance, some unregistered clergy still want to release details of the intimidation of Catholic priests. “The facts about the persecutions should be known abroad,” an unregistered clergyman said. bitter winter. “There is a need for more supervision from the [international] community. Since Father Huang’s torture was reported, the government has stopped using this method to force other priests to join the CPCA, at least for now.
