[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 74 (Monday, June 12, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H3732-H3734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONDEMNING THE UNAUTHORIZED, INAPPROPRIATE, AND COERCED ORDINATION OF
CATHOLIC BISHOPS BY THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 804) condemning the unauthorized,
inappropriate, and coerced ordination of Catholic bishops by the
People's Republic of China, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 804
Whereas the Catholic Patriotic Association of China is a
government-sanctioned organization that does not represent
the majority of Chinese Catholics, and has been used by the
Government of the People's Republic of China to oppress
Catholics who choose to remain loyal to the Pope as their
spiritual leader;
Whereas on April 30, 2006, the Chinese Government-
sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association of China conducted
an unauthorized episcopal ordination of the priest Joseph Ma
Yinglin, elevating him to the office of bishop without the
approval and against the wishes of the Holy Father Pope
Benedict XVI;
Whereas on May 3, 2006, the Chinese Government-sanctioned
Catholic Patriotic Association of China conducted an
unauthorized episcopal ordination of the priest Joseph Liu
Xinhong, elevating him to the office of bishop without the
approval and against the wishes of the Holy Father Pope
Benedict XVI;
Whereas on May 14, 2006, the Chinese Government-sanctioned
Catholic Patriotic Association of China installed Bishop
Vincent Zhan Silu as Bishop of Mindong Diocese without the
approval and against the wishes of the Holy Father Pope
Benedict XVI;
Whereas, according to information reported by the Vatican,
bishops and priests in the People's Republic of China have
been subjected to strong pressures and threats to take part
in the episcopal ordinations which, being without pontifical
mandate, are illicit and, besides, contrary to their
conscience;
Whereas the entire world follows with attention the
progress of religious freedom in China and had hoped that
such deplorable episodes by now would belong to the past;
Whereas, following a trip to China in August 2005, the
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
reported that the Chinese Government continues to
systematically violate the right to freedom of thought,
conscience, and religion or belief, contravening both the
Chinese Constitution and international human rights norms;
Whereas on May 3, 2006, the United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom announced its 2006
recommendations to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and
continued to identify China as one of ten ``Countries of
Particular Concern'';
Whereas Chinese law and policy restrict religious
activities to those activities associated with the five
officially-sanctioned ``patriotic'' religious organizations;
Whereas all other collective religious activities in China
are illegal, and individuals from ``unregistered'' religious
groups are subject to harassment, detention, and arrest;
Whereas freedom of religious expression is a fundamental
right enshrined in the United States Constitution and
recognized by all civilized nations; and
Whereas China, like all members of the United Nations, is
bound by Article 18 of the Uniform Declaration of Human
Rights which states: ``Everyone has the right to freedom of
thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom
to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone
or in community with others and in public or private, to
manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice,
worship and observance'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the actions
of the Government of the People's Republic of China to coerce
Catholic bishops in China, both those in the Catholic
Patriotic Association of China and those who remain loyal to
the Pope, to violate their consciences and consecrate bishops
in defiance of Rome;
(2) extends its deepest sympathy and condolences to the
Catholic population of China and the Catholic Church for this
insult to their beliefs and religious practices;
(3) reaffirms the right of all religious organizations to
choose their leaders in a manner that is free of
intimidation, terror, or coercion in accordance with Article
18 of the Uniform Declaration of Human Rights;
(4) urges the Government of China to end its repression of
religious organizations, recognize the ecclesiastical
authority of religious leaders to provide spiritual
leadership to their followers, and end the practice of only
allowing religious worship through state-sanctioned patriotic
religious associations; and
(5) encourages the Government of China to refrain from
additional ordination of Catholic bishops while the Vatican
and the Catholic Patriotic Association of China resolve their
differences and adopt a mutually acceptable process for
approving the elevation of bishops.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the chief sponsor of this resolution, Mr. English of
Pennsylvania.
Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I need to start my
remarks with an acknowledgment of the extraordinary leadership that the
gentleman from New Jersey has provided long in the House as a defender
of religious freedom, and the topic before us with this resolution is
one that I know is very dear to his heart, and so I am grateful for his
leadership on this topic.
Madam Speaker, this resolution is simple and self-explanatory. Any
truly free society must, by definition, accord its citizens freedom to
seek a relationship with God according to the dictates of their
conscience and choose spiritual leaders whom the worshipers believe are
best suited to guide in establishing that relationship.
Recently, the People's Republic of China violated the religious
freedom of its Roman Catholic citizens by imposing Beijing's choices
for bishops rather than allowing the Vatican to make these
appointments. This resolution condemns that action and calls upon the
Chinese government to refrain from any further unauthorized
ordinations.
There are few actions, Madam Speaker, more central to religious
practice than choosing the spiritual leaders of a congregation. Each
Sunday, Catholics throughout the world celebrate Mass and communally
recite the Apostles' Creed, which includes a statement of belief in the
holy Catholic church. As an intimate part of that belief, Catholics
acknowledge the supreme leadership of the Pope of Rome in all spiritual
matters and as the chief administrator of the church.
I am sure none of us would tolerate government coercion of any type
in choosing the leaders of our churches, synagogues, temples, and
religious organizations. Nevertheless, the Chinese government does not
allow Catholics to run schools or recognize openly the authority of the
papacy in many fundamental matters of faith and morals. The Chinese
government also continues to insist as a precondition for establishing
diplomatic relations that the Vatican cede its role in the selection of
bishops to the government-controlled Catholic Patriotic Association. A
government that purports not to believe in God at all has no business
choosing religious leaders.
Madam Speaker, the leaders of China consistently seek to position
their country as one of the leading nations of the world. The Chinese
people make no secret of their goal to establish their nation as an
equal to the United States. Well, leadership brings responsibility.
Religious repression is wrong wherever it occurs, and civilized nations
rightfully deplore the lack of tolerance found in many backward and
regressive societies. China, however, claims to aspire to a higher
standard, which is why their recent actions are so disturbing.
China is an ancient nation with a proud history. They are the
fountainhead of Eastern philosophy, the birthplace of Confucius,
possibly the greatest secular thinker the world has ever known.
Analects 15:23 of the teaching
[[Page H3733]]
of Confucius states: ``What you do not want done to yourself, do not do
to others.''
The early Chinese emperors embraced this teaching, and China was
providing shelter and refuge to Nestorian Christians when Europeans
were still burning heretics at the stake. Unfortunately, while
religious freedom has been moving forward in Western democracies, it
appears to be on the retreat in China.
Nevertheless, China became a signatory to the Uniform Declaration
Human Rights when they joined the United Nations. The ordinations that
we today condemn are a direct violation of Article 18 of the Uniform
Declaration of Human Rights, which states, and I quote, ``Everyone has
the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; this right
includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either
alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest
this religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and
observance.''
No one forced China to join the United Nations or to ratify the
Uniform Declaration of Human Rights. They did so freely and without
coercion. Indeed, the government in Beijing worked diligently for many
years to displace Taiwan as the recognized government of China.
Consequently, they now have a responsibility to live up to their
standards and their great history, proud traditions, and U.N.
obligations. My resolution calls upon them to do just that.
Madam Speaker, I hope that my resolution will focus attention on the
advancement of religious freedom not just in China but throughout the
world and particularly in our own country. Thomas Jefferson taught us
that, ``God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a
nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties
are the gift of God? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect
that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.''
Whatever liberties we may possess, whatever privileges we may earn,
whatever prosperity we may enjoy as individuals or as a nation, the
most fundamental freedom of all is the right to establish our own
relationship with God. This is the seminal freedom of all other
freedoms that we cherish.
Whenever, wherever this core freedom is under assault, free people
everywhere have a fundamental responsibility to defend it. We cannot
ignore the suppression of religious freedom in China and expect it to
endure in the United States.
Now, while we can, Congress must intrusively and decisively take a
stand on behalf of Chinese Catholics and all others who wish to worship
God in a manner and through a confession of their own choosing. We must
insist that all members of the community of nations respect individual
religious freedoms as the condition for mutual respect. Any nation that
interferes with individual religious freedom and the freedom of
spiritual communities to order their own affairs to the degree that the
Chinese government has intervened in Catholicism cannot aspire to a
place of leadership in the modern world.
Repression, Madam Speaker, is like a cancer. Left untreated, it will
grow in size and power until it overwhelms the entire body. Only by
vigorous early intervention can a doctor stop the spread of infection
or a free nation prevent the spread of repression. If we do not stand
with the Catholics of China now, who will stand with us in the future?
And if we don't stand with Chinese Catholics, how can we aspire to be a
symbol and defender of freedom throughout the world?
Madam Speaker, I call on my colleagues to pass this resolution.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I want to commend my good friend from Pennsylvania for his
authorship of this most important resolution as I rise in strong
support of it.
Sometimes what is self-evident to civilized democratic governments is
sadly lost on the Chinese leadership in Beijing. Such was the case in
early May when a government-sponsored committee in Beijing elevated two
Catholic priests to the level of bishop without the approval of the
Vatican.
Madam Speaker, I firmly believe that it is up to the Catholic Church
to determine its leadership. Everywhere else in the world Pope Benedict
the XVI selects the bishops, not communist atheists in some government
politburo.
But we should not be surprised by this latest intrusion into
religious life by the Chinese government. Eleven years ago, this same
government abducted a 6-year-old Tibetan boy who had been selected by
the Dalai Lama as the next Panchen Lama, a title conferred on the
second leader of Tibet. The boy and his family have never been seen
again. He is believed to be the world's youngest political prisoner.
Soon after the abduction of this little boy, Beijing selected its own
Panchen Lama, without seeking approval from the spiritual head of
Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama.
Madam Speaker, whether it is Catholics or Tibetan Buddhists, China
has an obligation under its own constitution and the international
conventions to which it is a party to ensure religious freedom. It has
failed miserably to live up to this sacred obligation. Our resolution
highlights the latest outrage in China's systematic denial of religious
liberty to its own citizens. I urge all of my colleagues to support
this resolution.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume, and I thank my good friend and colleague from
Pennsylvania, as Mr. Lantos said, for authoring this very important
resolution, but also for his very eloquent statement moments ago
regarding the historical context of this resolution and the ongoing
issue of religious persecution in China, meaning the lack of freedom
there. I appreciate his focus on the Uniform Declaration of Human
Rights which so clearly establishes the right of conscience and the
right of all persons to practice their faith as they see fit.
As he so aptly pointed out, the Chinese have freely acceded to the
Uniform Declaration, and to so many other human rights accords that
have been promulgated by the U.N. Sometimes for international
consumption and for PR purposes, and regrettably they do not live up to
either the letter or the spirit of these agreements to which they have
given their solemn word.
{time} 1500
Madam Speaker, this resolution which condemns the People's Republic
of China for its continued interference into the international efforts
of the Catholic Church and its persecution of Catholics loyal to the
Vatican is certainly a very timely resolution.
The state-controlled Catholic Church in China, which does not
represent the majority of Chinese Catholics, continues to ignore the
Vatican's wishes by consecrating new bishops without the consent of the
Pope. In April and May of this year, the Chinese Government-sanctioned
Catholic Patriotic Association of China conducted two unauthorized
ordinations of priests to the office of bishop, and the unauthorized
installation of another bishop, despite requests from the Vatican to
delay these actions.
According to the Vatican, bishops and priests in China are subject to
strong pressures and threats to take part in ordinations which have not
been approved of by the Pope and are contrary to their faith. While I
am saddened by these reports, I am not surprised. The United States
Commission on International Religious Freedom reports that the China
Government continues to systematically violate the freedom of thought,
conscience, and religion or belief and the testimonies of so many
persecuted individuals. For example, Bishop Su of Baoding Province, is
a gentle and kind man who I met in the 1990s. I point out to my
colleagues that soon after our visit, he was rearrested on false
charges, released and rearrested again. He spent 30 years of his life,
this brave Catholic bishop, for loving God. Even today, we do not know
about his whereabouts, although there have been sightings from time to
time.
As my colleague pointed out, in defiance of the U.N. article 18 of
the Uniform Declaration of Human Rights, the PRC continues to restrict
religious activities to those not associated with the five officially
sanctioned religious organizations. Men and women that attempt to
practice their faith outside of
[[Page H3734]]
these five approved religions, such as the more than 10 million Roman
Catholics, face harassment, imprisonment, torture and death.
We have no wish to sanction the worshipers in the Catholic Patriotic
Association in China; rather, we wish to offer our support to the
Catholic population of China that is persecuted by its government for
their faith. We condemn the Chinese Government's persecution of the
Catholics and its refusal to permit a Vatican-sponsored Catholic church
to operate legally in China. This is a great resolution, and I urge my
colleagues to support it.
Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution.
I heard Mr. English speaking and wanted to come over to add my support
for this resolution.
Frankly, this whole place ought to be packed with people speaking on
behalf of this resolution. Today in China, the Catholic Church is being
severely persecuted. Why has the administration been silent, and other
than this resolution, why has the Congress been relatively silent?
There are a number of Catholic bishops that are in jail today, as
stated in the New York Times piece the other day. There is also the
issue of what they have done to the Vatican with regard to the Chinese
Communist Government. Evangelical church leaders are being persecuted.
I just wanted to put my two cents in with regard to support of this.
For Members who just think this is another political thing, this is a
moral issue.
Isaiah says, ``Learn to do right, seek justice, encourage the
oppressed.'' By passing this resolution, we encourage the oppressed.
Isaiah goes on to say in Isaiah 59, ``The Lord looked and was
displeased there was no justice.'' When the Lord looks at China, he has
got to be displeased that there is no justice.
Isaiah goes on to say, ``He saw that there was no one, he was
appalled that there was no one to intervene.'' Fortunately, Mr.
English, Mr. Smith and Mr. Lantos are intervening.
But this Congress has to do more, and this administration's silence
is becoming deafening on this issue. The condition in China with regard
to the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church, the Uighurs, the
Buddhists is worse today after President Hu left than before President
Hu came.
I want to thank the gentlemen for cosponsoring this. We ought to have
a roll call vote. Frankly, everybody ought to vote on this issue
because this would send a message to the Chinese Communist Government
that this Congress will become again like the Congress was during the
1980s during the Reagan administration and will not stand for it.
Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 804,
Condemning the unauthorized, inappropriate, and coerced ordination of
Catholic bishops by the People's Republic of China. I am concerned by
reports that on April 30, 2006, and again on May 3, 2006, bishops and
priests in the People's Republic of China were subjected to strong
pressures and threats to participate in episcopal ordinations against
the wishes of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. The ordinations were
conducted by the Catholic Patriotic Association of China and without
the express approval and sanction of the Holy See. Such ordinations are
illegitimate. I urge the People's Republic of China to refrain from
pressuring or coercing.Chinese bishops and priests to support these
ordinations.
Freedom of religious expression is a fundamental right enshrined in
the United States Constitution and is recognized by all civilized
nations. Freedom of religion and conscience is also enshrined in
Article 18 of the Uniform Declaration of Human Rights, to which the
People's Republic of China is a signatory. Chinese law and policy,
however, continues to restrict religious activities to those associated
with the five officially sanctioned ``patriotic'' religious
organizations. Additionally, the Catholic Patriotic Association of
China does not represent the vast majority of Chinese Catholics and has
no ecclesiastical authority to choose spiritual leaders for Catholics
in the People's Republic of China.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
identifies China as one of ten ``Countries of Particular Concern.'' H.
Res. 804 sends a strong message to the People's Republic of China to
refrain from pressuring and coercing Chinese priests. This resolution
also sends a strong message to the Catholic Patriotic Association of
China to discontinue the practice of ordaining priests without the
express support of the Holy Father, the Pope. Not doing so is an insult
to the universal Catholic Church.
I strongly support this resolution. I urge my colleagues' support.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of
my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 804, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas
and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
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