The Church in China: A future to write

A volume: The Church in China: A future to write

Rome [ENA] On 25th of March, the volume, issued by the publishing house Ancora and edited by the Jesuit Antonio Spadaro, was presented in Rome at the headquarters of the prestigious magazine "La Civiltà Cattolica", entitled: The Church in China: A future to write. At the presentation of the book, in addition to the General of the Jesuits Sosa, also participated the Italian President of the Council Prof. Giuseppe Conte,

Arturo Marcelino Sosa Abascal SJ Superior General of the Society and Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte

who had a recent meeting with the President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping during a state visit to Italy. The volume comes at a particular moment of the situation of relations with People’s Republic of China after the Vatican Press Office announced the signing of a provisional agreement between PRC and the Holy See on September 22, 2018 on the nomination of Catholic bishops. The preface of the volume is by the Vatican Secretary of State, card. Pietro Parolin, who writes: "Today, without neglecting the spiritual treasure of the local Catholic communities, and especially by taking on the severe sufferings and misunderstandings experienced by Chinese Catholics over many years, we are called to remember and, together,

Presentation of the Book in Rome

to write a new page for the future of the Church in China ». Antonio Spadaro, director of the magazine La Civiltà Cattolica claims, among other things, that the historic agreement of September 2018 between the People's Republic of China and the Holy See is a sign, a sign of hope, a sign of peace in a world in which one continues to build walls, especially between the West and the East. This is not the conclusion of a process, but it is a fresh start, wanted with determination by Pope Francis, who has repeatedly expressed both his admiration for China and the desire to overcome the hindrances to a solid and effective dialogue.

Reading this book, that bears on the cover the engraved ideograms that signify “journey” and “ahead” and which can give the meaning of "Future or go towards the future" , it’s possible to realize that the opportunities offered by the new international situation and by the study and in-depth contributions collected in the book are great - the card . Pietro Parolin in the Preface – and "help to overcome the logic of facile opposites, to grasp the real complexity of the cultural, social and religious challenge of today's China, and to progressively untie the knots that still impede the joy of a fruitful encounter".

The desired new relations with PRC are being conceived and carried out not without fear and trembling because they have to be “functional” for the good of Chinese Catholics, for the good of the whole Chinese people and for the harmony of the whole society. The contributions to this volume are all signed by Jesuit fathers: Antonio Spadaro, Federico Lombardi, Benoît Vermander, Stephan Rothlin, Thierry Meynard, Michel Chambon, Joseph You Guo Jiang. In appendix there’s the Message of the Holy Father Francis to the Chinese Catholics and to the Universal Church (26 September 2018).