Shanghai’s priests and nuns subjected to brainwashing, after Ma Daqin’s "big blow"
Shanghai
(AsiaNews / UCAN) - At least 160 priests and nuns of the diocese of Shanghai
underwent a period of "brainwashing" to inculcate in them a
"service to the nation" and the ideal of a Church independent of the
Holy See .
The
"re-education" was deemed necessary following Msgr.
Ma Daqin's "blow" dealt on the day of his Episcopal ordination (see photo) when
he announced that he no
longer belonged to the Patriotic Association (PA), in order to better
respond to his pastoral responsibilities.
AsiaNews
sources point to Ma Daqin's courageous act in breaking with an
"ambiguous tradition" which demands that believers must submit to the
PA in order to "serve the nation", whose ideal is to create a
national church independent of the Pope. In
fact, in light of recent scandals that took place in the Party, the Chinese
population is increasingly critical of government representatives considered
corrupt. The
sources point out that when Msgr. Ma Daqin announced his resignation from the
PA, the whole assembly, a part from government representatives, applauded loudly.
From the
day of his ordination, Msgr. Ma
has been kept under house arrest in the seminary of Sheshan, unable to perform
his pastoral work and an investigation against him has been opened. Seminarians
and nuns who had prepared his ordination, in an attempt to prevent illicit
bishops from the celebration, are now suffering the vengeance of the PA: the seminary
has not yet opened its doors for this academic year, and the superior of the
Sisters of Our Lady of the Presentation has been dismissed.
Another
chapter in this process of "normalization" is "brainwashing":
in September, 160 priests and nuns, divided
into three groups, were forced to attend three days of formation at the
Institute for socialism in Shanghai for 12 hours a
day of classes, on their duty to the nation, religious regulations and the
principles of independence of the Chinese Church.
In
the best Maoist tradition, the lessons were mandatory and after the course
there was an exam, along with a written composition in which participants had
to "confess" what they had learned. Members
of the Religious Affairs at a provincial, city and district level attended the
lectures as supervisors.
.png)
