"I think the most evident case is about the one bishop in Fujian, Bishop Guo.
"Now, they legitimize seven illegitimate bishops -- schismatic bishops, excommunicated bishops. But it happened that, in two of those seven dioceses, there are also two legitimate underground bishops. [Rome] asked them to step down. Now both stepped down, okay?
But the one in Fujian was promised that he would be recognized as auxiliary bishop, downgraded, but still bishop. So he accepted. But then…[the Chinese authorities] say 'no, we have not yet recognized you as bishop. You have to sign the document.' And the document says, 'I have accepted the independent Church.' Guo said no, I cannot sign that, so he's not yet recognized as a bishop.
"Now, recently, the news came that he is on the street, because they said 'your building is not safe. It is against the fire regulations.'
"I said that may be an exaggeration, that he is on the street. But actually it's true, because the government doesn't allow anybody to accept him. Now in that diocese, the underground Church is of 80% of the priests and faithful in the diocese. The official Church only has a small number of priests, and the bishop, who was the real bishop, is now not even recognized as an auxiliary. It's terrible.
"So [in this deal] the Vatican lost everything, and got nothing. I cannot understand why they would do such thing. I'm sure that the Pope has the good intention to gain some space, some breathing space, and maybe one day you can get something better. Okay. But Parolin, the Secretary of State, he knows very well who the Communists are: there's no way to bargain with the Communists, you get nothing.
"I always say, can you imagine St. Joseph going to bargain with Herod to save the infant Jesus? No way, no way. He just wants to kill him."
Matt Hadro was the political editor at Catholic News Agency through October 2021. He previously worked as CNA senior D.C. correspondent and as a press secretary for U.S. Congressman Chris Smith.