China Continues Angry Remarks Over Canonizations

BEIJING, Oct. 2, 00 (CWNews.com) - China's Communist government continued to fume at the canonization of 120 Chinese martyrs on Sunday by Pope John Paul II, even releasing «exposes» on two of the martyrs that claim they were actually guilty of «monstrous crimes.»

The canonizations of 87 native Chinese and 33 missionaries were performed on the Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, the patron of missionaries, which also happens to be China's National Day, marking the founding of the Communist state. The Holy Father has said the canonizations should be seen as honoring the Chinese people, not defending colonialism of Western nations.

A spokesman for China's State Administration of Religious Affairs cited examples of «monstrous crimes» committed by the saints against the Chinese people, including one who he said slept with all the brides of his followers. Father Aldericus Crescitelli, an Italian missionary, «was notorious for taking the 'right to the first night' of each bride in his diocese,» the Xinhua news agency quoted the spokesman as saying in a report late on Sunday. A second missionary, Father Auguste Chatdelaine of France, instigated the second Opium War and the burning of the imperial Summer Palace in 1860 after he was punished for felonies, the spokesman said. «Did they represent God's 'true love' to the Chinese people like the Vatican said?» asked the spokesman, who Xinhua did not identify.

The Communist Chinese government requires Christians to worship only in state-controlled associations including the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CPAC), which eschews any connections to the Vatican or the Pope. Many Catholics worship in illegal, underground churches following only bishops appointed by the Pope.

The leader of the CPAC, Bishop Fu Tieshan, told Chinese Catholics they must «stand with the nation,» during an appearance at Beijing's South Cathedral to celebrate National Day. He also accused the Vatican of siding with Taiwanese Catholics in trying to divide Chinese Catholics. «We express our indignation at this distortion of history,» Bishop Fu said in the interview shown Sunday on state-run China Central Television's overseas service. «This is a public humiliation that we cannot accept.»

Catholic World News Service - Daily News Briefs