Mixed messages on Biden reveal not just competing camps, but divided hearts
- Jan 22, 2021
At a time when the Vatican continues to draw fire for its controversial deal over the appointment of bishops with China, the president of arguably the most longstanding thorn in Beijing’s side has written Pope Francis instead to praise collaboration between Taiwan and Rome.
The last governor of Hong Kong criticized the Vatican’s agreement with China on the appointment of bishops and said Pope Francis has been “exceptionally badly advised” in concluding the pact.
One month after the Vatican and China extended a provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops, an episcopal ordination and an a papal criticism have illustrated the complicated back-and-forth relationship between the two in terms of attempts to strengthen ties
China criticized Pope Francis on Tuesday over a passage in his new book in which he mentions suffering by China’s Uighur Muslim minority group.
Two storylines are fighting it out to dominate Vatican coverage, and so far it’s no contest: A media frenzy over a few seconds of papal verbiage on civil unions has overwhelmed the Vatican and China renewing their deal on the appointment of bishops for another two years.
No matter what a leader actually says or does, if he or she allows an impression to be created and doesn’t publicly disown it, then it belongs to them.