Depuis janvier, l’Association Patriotique de Chine, en charge des affaires religieuses, multiplie les ordinations d’évêques en communion avec Rome. Curieux effort quand on sait que Pékin refuse toujours toute relation diplomatique avec le Vatican. La province de Mongolie Intérieure est montrée en exemple avec déjà deux ordinations cette année. Pourtant, à l’extérieur des villes et de leurs cathédrales, les curés souterrains sont toujours traqués par la police. Nous sommes partis à la recherche d’un curé porté disparu. Découvrez avec nous l’existence de villages catholiques laissés à l’abandon, de séminaires clandestins et d’irréductibles fidèles au Pape devenus bâtisseurs d’églises souterraines, malgré les descentes de police répétées. La Vie du jeudi 29 juillet 2010.
In English:
The Patriotic Association, which is in charge of religious affairs in China, has been ordaining 5 bishops since january, with the Pope’s approval. This so-called reconciliation between the Official church and the underground catholic church is even more surprising as Beijing still rejects any kind of diplomatic link with the Vatican. The province of Inner Mongolia has appointed 2 bishops last spring and is now regarded as a model region for Chinese catholics. Meanwhile, outside cities and their cathedrals, undergrounds priest don’t get to see this reconciliation at all. Outside Hohhot, some of them are being chased by local police: threats, bribes and fines being part of their everyday life. For our report, we went to the countryside to search for a missing underground priest who had been put on a “wanted list” by local authorities. We slept in remote catholic villages, visited illegal seminaries and temples, were invited to catholic funerals and met fearless believers eager to build their own churches to compete with the official church. The story was first published in the print edition of French magazine La Vie, on July the 29th. I own the pictures and would be glad to tell my experience again in an english speaking publication.
Text and pictures by Jordan Pouille (jordanpouille @ gmail.com)
La cathédrale de Hohhot interdite aux journalistes lors d’une récente ordination.
Village catholique de Wang’Ai
Séminaire clandestin quelque-part en Mongolie Intérieure.
