Religion

Religion

Vatican â€œDisturbedâ€ About Chinaâ€™s Violation of Religious Freedom

19 November 2010 04:59 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. The Vatican says it is â€œdisturbedâ€ by reports that Catholic bishops are being forced to attend an â€œillicitâ€ state-backed ordination of a bishop in China, APA reports quoting â€œThe Voice of Americaâ€.

A statement from the Vatican press office Thursday described the incident as a â€œgrave violationâ€ of religious freedom. The statement said the scheduled ordination, which was not approved by the pope, will damage the â€œconstructiveâ€ relations that it has developed with China in recent years.

The statement comes one day ahead of an unprecedented summit in Rome, where cardinals from around the world will meet to discuss critical issues facing the Catholic church, including freedom of religion and the sex abuse scandal.

The meeting will follow a formal ceremony, known as a consistory, at which 24 new cardinals will be recognized. Twenty of the cardinals will have the power to elect Pope Benedictâ€™s successor.

The Vatican says the November 19 meeting will be a â€œday of reflection and prayer.â€

Cardinal William Levada will lead a discussion on the churchâ€™s slow response to the sex abuse scandal.

Pope Benedict has acknowledged that the church failed to take sufficient measures to stop the abuse, after the Vatican came under a storm of criticism for not reacting. The pope has since apologized to victims around the world.

Other talks will focus on the integration of disaffected Anglicans into the Catholic Church. Last week, five Church of England bishops opposed to the ordination of women as bishops said they will convert to Catholicism.