Vatican looks to Olympics to improve ties with China

[dArKeR]

Beijing's hosting the 2008 Olympics could strengthen relations between China and the Holy See, a Vatican cardinal says, following Pope Benedict XVI's overture to China.

The road to normalizing relations between Beijing and the Vatican City is a long and uphill path, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran said at a conference in Rome on Saturday.

"But if they give us the possibility, we're ready tomorrow," said Tauran, a former Vatican diplomat.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2005/05/16/2003254858

[davidinalameda]

1. and let's not forget what the Vatican is willing to do

to "normalize" relations

they're going to stop recognizing Taiwan as an independent country and make a deal with one of the most totalitarian governments going today

and this is all so the Vatican MIGHT be able to get jurisdiction over the Patriotic Catholic Church, or whatever it's called, in China

these people would sell their mothers for a bit more power and authority

[tjwmason]

2. The Church has a responsibiLity to Look after its members

NormaLisation of reLations with the P.R.C. wouLd be undertaken in order to accompLish that.

The Patriotic Church is far smaLLer that the underground one, and it is to aid this that normaLisation wouLd be undertaken.

As for stopping recognising Taiwan, this is as opposed to the U.S. position on Taiwan, or the British, or the French &c.&c.

This is not about a power-grab, but rather is about trying to end the constant arrests of Priests and Bishops and the constant harrasing of Laity who simpLy seek to do what we aLL take for granted in the West.

[davidinalameda]

3. it's all about a power grab

maybe this is why the Vatican also did what it did in WW2?

[tjwmason]

4. I don't suppose that you have any evidence to back-up that?

Other than a disLike of the Vatican.

There's one heck of a Lot of CathoLics in China, the Vatican has a responsibiLity to improve their Lot beyond the current depLorabLe situation. This is what is being expLored.

I'm aLso a tad bemused about what it did in W.W.II - is there a particuLar action being referenced here?

[davidinalameda]

5. you need proof about the Vatican's actions in relation to the Nazis?

do a search on Pius XII and how he kept the Catholic Church silent about the Nazis

the Vatican is selling out those in China who have been fighting the government

it doesn't matter what your reasons are for making a deal with the devil, you're still making a deal with the devil

[tjwmason]

7. I take it that you strongLy oppose the dipLomatic recognition

of the P.R.C. by the U.S. - otherwise you don't reaLLy have much of an argument.

The Vatican is not seLLing out anybody, it is attempting to stop or Lessen the current persecution of CathoLics there. It is not 'doing a deaL with the deviL' any more than it's dipLomatic recognition of Iran is so doing - or indeed its recognition of any state on earth.

Besides, you have not backed up your cLaim that this is a 'power grab'.

[dArKeR]

6. The US should murder all the people in the world because it has the

responsibility to Look after its members. We use 70% of the world's resources and we need MORE!