Pope Francis yesterday extended an olive branch to China, urging the Communist Party-ruled nation -- which has fraught relations with the Vatican for the past 65 years -- to pursue a formal dialog to benefit both sides, the Reuters website reports today (August 18, 2014).
On the fourth and next-to-last day of his trip to South Korea, Francis flew by helicopter to Haemi, southwest of Seoul, to address bishops from Asian countries and celebrate Mass closing a gathering of Asian Catholic youth.
In his address to some 70 bishops from 35 Asian countries, Francis said the Church was committed to dialog with everyone and added: "In this spirit of openness to others, I earnestly hope that those countries of your continent with whom the Holy See does not enjoy a full relationship, may not hesitate to further a dialog for the benefit of all."
This was a clear reference to China, a nation with which the Vatican has had no formal relations since shortly after the Communist Party took power in 1949. Today, the Catholic Church in China is divided into two communities: an "official" Church known as the "Patriotic Association" answerable to the Communist Party, and an underground Church that swears allegiance only to the pope in Rome.
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