Nearly a hundred scholars from Greater China convened this week at the University of San Giuseppe in Macau to discuss the long-term impact of the 1924 Council of Shanghai on the Catholic Church in China.
This symposium, marking the centenary of the council, served as a platform for ecclesial and academic discourse, examining both historical contributions and the current challenges facing the Church, according to AsiaNews.
The sessions included a range of reports and discussions that highlighted the transformative role of the Council of Shanghai in the Church’s approach across China.
Opening remarks were enhanced by video messages from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Cardinal John Tong, alongside a greeting from Bishop Stephen Lee Bun Sang of Macao.
A focal point was Msgr. Savio Hon Tai Fai’s reflections on Msgr. Celso Costantini, the Apostolic Delegate renowned for his efforts to culturally integrate the Church.
Msgr. Hon cited Costantini’s words, emphasizing the need for cultural integration: “May China be for the Chinese and the Chinese for Christ.”
He discussed Costantini’s commitment to local traditions, urging that “the missions did not need a protectorate, but prudence, trust in God and even the willingness to face the possible death of the shepherds for the sheep.”
Addressing contemporary issues, Professor Wang Meixiu voiced concerns about current policies affecting young people’s participation in Church life: “In recent years, due to a series of regulations and laws, children and adolescents under the age of 18 cannot participate in catechesis,” she noted.
Fr. Gianni Criveller, a PIME missionary and editorial director of AsiaNews, raised the prospect of a second Chinese Council to tackle urgent challenges such as interculturality within the Church.
He stressed the importance of contextually relevant faith expressions: “There is a need for theological and pastoral reflections that lead to facilitating the faithful in expressing their faith in a way congenial to their daily life.”
The symposium revisited the pivotal milestones of the Council of Shanghai and underscored the ongoing need for dialogue and adaptation to guide the Church through the complexities of modern Chinese society.
It called a collective call for sustained scholarly and ecclesiastical efforts to address the evolving landscape of faith in China.
