China and the Church

Amy Welborn has this post up about the death of Michele Fu Tieshan, "Patriotic Archbishop of Beijing," who will, according to the news report, "receive a funeral fit for a 'head of state.' There will be no Vatican representative present, neither the religious ceremony nor the state burial."  Also:

The capital’s faithful notice with some bitterness that the patriotic bishop’s body was “sequestered” by the PA – of which Fu was national president – in order to publicize his “contribution to the nation”, without a single reference to the Catholic faith. “He died as he lived – one woman notices – that is as Communist Party property”. The same official Party statement, exalts him as a “patriotic religious leader, social activist and great friend of the Chinese communist party”.

For more of my take on the "Patriotic Association," and religious freedom in China, go here.