Pope admits deal with China on bishops will cause suffering

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — Pope Francis acknowledged Tuesday that his landmark deal with China over bishop nominations will cause suffering among the underground faithful. But he said that he takes full responsibility and that he — and not Beijing — will have the ultimate say over naming new bishops.

Francis provided the first details of the weekend agreement signed during an in-flight news conference coming home from the Baltics. The deal aims to end decades of tensions over bishop nominations that had contributed to dividing the Chinese church.

China’s estimated 12 million Catholics are split between those belonging to the government-backed Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which is outside the pope’s authority, and an underground church loyal to the pope. Underground priests and parishioners are frequently detained and harassed.

Francis acknowledged that both sides lost something in the talks, and said members of the underground Chinese church “will suffer” as a result of the deal, the text of which has not been released. “There is always suffering in an agreement,” he said.

But he said he had already received messages attesting to the “martyrlike faith” of Chinese Catholics and their willingness to accept the decision. He urged prayers “for the suffering for those who don’t understand, or who have so many years behind them of living clandestinely.”

It was a reference to the underground faithful who endured decades of persecution for refusing to join the Patriotic Association and staying loyal to the Holy See.