Chinese Catholic Bishops' Conference

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On May 23-30, 1980, the Third National Congress of the Chinese Catholic Church was held in Beijing. This is a very important meeting, marking that Chinese Catholicism has entered a stage of comprehensive restoration and reconstruction after the Cultural Revolution. This meeting is 18 years away from the Second Conference of Chinese Catholic Representatives. It is the first grand meeting of the Catholic community after the "Gang of Four" was crushed. At this meeting, the Chinese Catholic Bishops' League and the Chinese Catholic Academic Affairs Committee were established, which was called the "two associations and one regiment." The establishment of these two educational administration organizations has played a very important role in advancing the development of educational administration. Bishop Zong Huaide was elected as the chairman of the Patriotic Association, and Bishop Zhang Jiashu was elected as the first chairman of the Bishops’ Conference. At this meeting, it was also decided to establish the Chinese Catholic Theological and Philosophical Institute to train successors for the clergy, and also published the "Send to the Catholic priests and members of the country" and the "Send to the Catholic priests and members of Taiwan." Later, due to the needs of the development of educational affairs, at the Fifth National Congress of Chinese Catholicism held in 1992, the national organization was adjusted, and the original three institutions (the "two associations and one regiment") were adjusted to China. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association have two institutions, and the Academic Affairs Committee has adjusted a committee under the Bishops’ Conference that specializes in teaching affairs. Since then, the national institution of the Chinese Catholic Church has been "one society, one regiment", and it has been in use ever since. The Chinese Catholic Church has so far held eight national conferences of representatives, and each time the Patriotic Association and the Bishops’ Conference are required to amend the constitutions of the Patriotic Association and the Bishops’ Conference. According to the revised "Articles of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association", the purpose of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association was: "To unite and lead the Catholic priests and parishioners of the country, and support China. The leadership of the Communist Party and the socialist system abide by the national constitution, laws, regulations and policies; hold high the banner of patriotism and love for religion, adhere to the principle of independence and self-management in political, economic and church affairs, safeguard national sovereignty and church affairs autonomy, and socialism To adapt to the society, to assist the educational administration organization in the pastoral evangelization work in accordance with the spirit of democratic education; to guide the priests and church members across the country to play an active role in promoting economic and social development, in order to maintain the unity of the motherland, national unity, social harmony, religious harmony, Contribute to world peace." The Constitution of the Chinese Catholic Bishops’ Conference stipulates that the mission of the mission is: “Based on the Bible and the Holy Bishops, based on the One, the Most Holy, the Most Holy, the traditions of the Holy Anglican Church handed down from the apostles and the Second Vatican The spirit of the conference, to maintain the treasure house of faith, to use the grace bestowed by the Holy Spirit, to promote the gospel, and to promote the holy religion; to adhere to the principle of independence and self-management in political, economic and church affairs, to safeguard national sovereignty and the autonomy of church affairs, and socialist society Adaptation; unite and guide the priests and faithful of the country to abide by the Constitution, laws, regulations and policies, play an active role in promoting economic and social development, and contribute to the maintenance of the unity of the motherland, national unity, social harmony, religious harmony, and world peace to promote The greater well-being of the country, society, and mankind.” The charter also stipulates: “In the cause of faith and evangelization, the group will perform its pastoral mission in accordance with the Lord Jesus Christ’s dispatch to the apostles and the power granted by the Holy Spirit to the apostles. In terms of the doctrines and rules of believing and doing, maintain communion with the heir of Peter, the elder of the apostle, and be responsible to the Chinese Catholic Congress in the organization of associations." The Chinese Catholic Bishops' Conference had only 20 bishops at the beginning of its establishment. At present, there are about 60 bishops or assistant bishops in the 97 dioceses of the Chinese Catholic Church. There are still nearly 40 dioceses without bishops. Therefore, the task of choosing a bishop for the Chinese Catholic Church is still very urgent.