China
Chinese Persecution of Catholics Pope Pius XII protested and renewed the persecution in his apostolic letter . The encyclical asks why faithful good Catholics always become distant and not unified. The pope questions the labor unions the government made for “re-education.” In the camps the government would force confessions of the church members. “In addition to these there are the methods by which minds are upset- by every device, in private and in public, by traps, deceits, grave fear, by so-called forced confessions, by cutody in a place where citizes are forcibly “re-educated,” and those “People Courts” to which even venerable bishops are ignominiously dragged for trail.” (, 18) Currently, China is still plagued with persecutions which only make the Chinese Catholics more fearful and more likely to desert the government’s church, Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. Underground Roman Catholic priests Father Guo Yibao and Father Wang Zhenhe, both of Anjiazhuang, Xushui, Hebei was arrested when they were on their way to offer a Mass in Easter, 1999. Both of them are now in Xushui Detention Center. No one is allowed to visit them. In addition, Father Xie Guolin of Xuguozhuang, Gaoyangxian, Hebei was also arrested in 1999. Details of Father Xie'sarrest are not known. Joseph Kung, President of the Cardinal Kung Foundation, said: "We do not know the official reasons for the arrests of these persons. However, we believe their arrests are the result of their religious activities in accordance with their conscience. Sadly, in China, the practice of religious activities is only allowed in accordance with the choice of the government. This choice of the government for all religious believers is to join the Patriotic Association. Practicing religion according to one's conscience and thereby refusing to join the Patriotic Association is illegal in China and is subject to arrest and to other form of punishments."
At the Fatima, the World Peace conference held in...
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