As foreign editions of The Secret Cardinal continue to reach book shelves around the world, a new milestone was reached this month. According to an Associated Press list of books sold in several American countries, El Cardenal (the Spanish translation) hit the top ten list in two of the listed countries, and has held the No. 1 spot in Venezuela for well over a year. All I can say is Ole!

Labels: Best seller, Venezuela

On Oct. 26th, Pope Benedict XVI closed the three-week long synod of bishop in Rome with a “special thought” to the Chinese bishops barred from attending the gathering.

“I would like to speak on behalf of them,” the Pope said, referring to the bishops of China, “and thank God for their love for Christ, their communion with the universal Church and their faithfulness to the successor of Peter.”
Beijing bans its Catholics from recognizing the authority of the pope and forces Chinese Catholics to worship in the state-run Patriotic Catholic Church. A majority of China’s Catholics and other Christians practice their faith illegally in unregistered churches and are subject to official harassment and imprisonment.

Labels: bishop, China, pope, Rome, synod

Even as talks between the envoys of the Dalai Lama and the government of China resume after breaking off in July, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader expressed his fears that an agreement over Tibetan autonomy would never be reached. Aides hinted at a major policy shift toward China in light of the failed talks and commented that the Dalai Lama had lost hope in trying to reach a solution with the present Chinese leadership. In April, protests against Chinese rule sparked a violent Chinese crackdown in Tibet that drew worldwide condemnation.

In 2007, China passed a law granting Beijing sole authority in the naming of the Dalai Lama's successor. The law declared that reincarnation could only take place inside China, and that only the government could declare some one to be a soul child--the reincarnation of a Buddhist lama. As with the bishops in the Catholic Church, China intends to replace lamas who are pro-Tibet with those who would be loyal to Beijing.

Labels: China, Dalai Lama, reincarnation

Bird of Prey, my fourth Nolan Kilkenny adventure, explored the commercial satellite industry, the placement of space-based weapons in orbit, and the Chinese manned space program. At the time, it was a pretty forward look at what I saw happening above us as more countries pushed their way into space. Some of what I wrote was considered prescient enough that Bird of Prey was mentioned in a National Security Briefing on the Chinese Space Program and space-based weaponry.

On September 25th, an incredible coincidence of three events happened that could have been drawn from the pages of Bird of Prey. First, the United States military launched a rocket to test a satellite-based portion of the SDI missile defense shield. Then, Sea Launch placed a commercial satellite in orbit from its ocean-based launch platform in the Pacific. Lastly, China launched Shenzhou-7 with a crew of three astronauts into orbit. The astronauts performed China’s first space walk and successfully returned to Earth, faring much better than the Shenzhou-7 mission featured in Bird of Prey.

Labels: China, satellite, weapons

Beijing promised much with regard to improving human rights in its bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, and in the end delivered little. Tibetans were beaten in the streets in April and the Marian Shrine near Shanghai—the holiest Catholic site in China—was effectively shut down for the month of May to prevent large gatherings on pilgrims.

The closure of the Shrine at Sheshan is part of the official response to Pope Benedict XVI’s 2007 Letter to Chinese Catholics. The letter, which is banned in China, calls for a universal day of prayer for the Church in China on May 24th, and the authorities feared that gathering of more than 100,000 was possible if left unchecked. Of particular concern was Cardinal Zen of Hong Kong, who had sought permission from Beijing to lead a pilgrimage to Sheshan. Cardinal Zen’s request was denied and he remained in Hong Kong.

Cardinal Zen, long considered a threat by Beijing, also did not receive an invitation to attend the opening ceremonies of the Summer Games in Beijing. Bishop John Tong of Hong Kong represented the Holy See at the opening ceremonies, though his presence was carefully monitored. He did not meet with officials of the government, and his request to meet or even talk with the state-selected bishop of Beijing was denied.

Religion in Beijing for purposes of the Olympic Games was carefully managed by the state. Venues were established to deal with the religious needs of foreign guests, and Roman Catholic clergy from outside China were invited to assist in this effort. Aside from the officially sanctioned religious venues, all other religious activities within the Olympic zone were curtailed by order of the state. House church leaders were relocated outside the Olympic zone, and all churches, both registered and unregistered, were barred from celebrating any religious services.

Bishop Jia, whose Zhengding diocese lies approximately 100 miles south of Beijing in Hebei province, lives under permanent house arrest. At 73, Jia is in frail health and has already endured 15 years in prison and has been arrested numerous times since his 1989 release for the purpose of re-education—the state is every hopeful Jia will denounce Rome and join the patriotic church.

For the duration of the Olympic Games, Jia’s house arrest was augmented by a 24/7 police guard stationed at his home. He was not to receive visitors of any kind, nor was he to celebrate mass. The police abruptly arrested Jia just hours before the closing ceremonies, which left many wondering what the elderly bishop had done to warrant another round of imprisonment. Jia’s arrest immediately brought to mind Bishop Han, who died under very mysterious circumstances in September of 2007 while in police custody, and several other bishops whose whereabouts remain unknown years after their arrests.

Thankfully, Bishop Jia was returned to his home, where he again resides under house arrest. While no official comment has been made regarding Jia’s month-long incarceration, credible reports have surfaced indicating the arrest was to prevent a foreign reported from interviewing the bishop. Rather than risk someone slipping into Jia’s home, Beijing placed him in prison until all the foreign press had left the country.

Beijing promised much, and delivered little.