China and the Vatican exchanged renewed criticisms of each other over the weekend about China's selection of a new bishop over the Vatican's objections, but there were hints on both sides that the dispute might be papered over in the months ahead.
China's State Administration for Religious Affairs, while describing Rome's objections as "unreasonable," said in a statement on Sunday that it favored further dialogue to resolve differences over how to choose bishops to run the 97 Roman Catholic dioceses in China.
"The Chinese government has a positive attitude towards improving relations with the Vatican, and we want to have a constructive dialogue on the issue of the consecration of bishops," the Chinese government agency said.
The Vatican said in a statement on Saturday that Pope Benedict XVI was "deeply pained" by the ordination of Wang Renlei (王仁雷) on last Thursday as a bishop in Xuzhou Diocese in Jiangsu Province.
The statement was shorter and less condemning than when the state-approved church had consecrated two other Chinese bishops last spring over the Vatican's objections.
The pope had warned then of the excommunication of the two bishops, Liu Xinhong (
In his statement on Saturday, he cited the same section of canonical law that includes excommunication for clergy who defy the Vatican.
The Vatican's statement was less directly critical of Beijing than the statement issued here late on Thursday night by Cardinal Joseph Zen (
Zen accused the Chinese government of kidnapping clergy and forcing them to participate in the consecration last Thursday, and he accused the Chinese government of seeking to disrupt the unity of the Roman Catholic Church.
Liu Bainian (
Eight priests in Xuzhou, including Wang, the vicar general of the diocese, met and chose him as their candidate, Liu said.
The rest of the priests, the 94-year-old bishop of the diocese, nuns, and representatives of parishioners then met, prayed, and cast anonymous ballots, with Wang elected unanimously, he said.
The Vatican asserts that it must control the selection of bishops, although it has allowed governments and dioceses to suggest possible candidates.
Although the Chinese church does not take instructions from the Vatican, the Vatican has never declared a schism.
It has taken the position that the differences are political and not religious.
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