FIDES MEDIA DIRECTOR CERVELLERA VIEWS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 005814 SIPDIS DEPT FOR DRL/IRF (FARR),EUR/WE (MENNUTI); EAP/CM (KOEHLER) FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 197/01 E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/06 TAGS: PREL PGOV KIRF PINR CH VT SUBJECT: FIDES MEDIA DIRECTOR CERVELLERA VIEWS ON VATICAN/PRC DEVELOPMENTS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 05814 091331Z REF: VATICAN 5629 CLASSIFIED BY DCM JMERANTE, REASONS E.O. 12958 1.5 (B), (D). ¶1. (C) AT MEDIA THEMED LUNCH HOSTED BY AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON, DIRECTOR OF MEDIA FOR THE CONGREGATION FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH (FIDES),FATHER BENARDO CERVELLERA, SPOKE AT LENGTH ON HIS VIEWS OF RECENT VATICAN/PRC DEVELOPMENTS. CERVELLERA SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE POPE'S 10/24 STATEMENT APOLOGIZING TO THE CHINESE PEOPLE FOR THE "MISTAKES' MADE BY EARLY CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES AND FOR A RESUMPTION OF DIALOG BETWEEN THE PRC AND THE HOLY SEE WAS WELL RECEIVED BY THE CHINESE PEOPLE, IT "FELL ON DEAF EARS" WITHIN THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT HE SEES THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY RESUMPTION OF DIALOG BETWEEN CHINA AND THE HOLY SEE AIMED AT NORMALIZING RELATIONS BEFORE ELECTIONS THE MARCH ELECTIONS IN CHINA TO BE NIL. (NOTE: WE HEARD THE SAME FROM OUR TAIWAN EMBASSY CONTACTS). ¶2. (C) CERVELLERA ALSO DISCUSSED THE ROLE OF THE "OFFICIAL" CHURCH AND THE UNDERGROUND CHURCH IN CHINA. HE BELIEVES 80 PERCENT OF THE "OFFICIAL" CHURCH IS LOYAL TO THE POPE. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE REMAINING "OLD LINERS" IN THE "OFFICIAL" CHURCH ARE DYING OFF. IN EFFECT, THERE IS NO LONGER EVEN A DE FACTO SCHISM BETWEEN THE VATICAN AND CHINESE CATHOLICISM. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THE "PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION" WHICH BEIJING USES TO CONTROL THE ACTIVITIES OF THE "OFFICIAL" CHURCH. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 05814 091331Z ¶3. (C) COMMENT: CERVELLERA AND FIDES ARE STRONGLY IDENTIFIED WITH THE FACTION IN THE VATICAN WHICH OPPOSES NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH CHINA UNTIL THE COMMUNISM ARE REMOVED. THAT SAID, HIS BELIEF THAT THERE WON'T BE ANY MOVEMENT UNTIL AFTER MARCH IS SHARED EVEN BY THOSE WHO WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF QUICK RESUMPTION OF THE DIALOG (REF). CERVELLERA'S VIEWS ON THE "OFFICIAL" CHURCH ARE QUITE PROGRESSIVE AND APPEAR TO REFLECT THE VATICAN'S ATTEMPT TO FULLY HEAL THE RIFT BETWEEN THE UNDERGROUND CHURCH AND THE "OFFICIAL CHURCH" EVEN BEFORE THERE IS A POLITICAL DIALOG WITH BEIJING. NICHOLSON CONFIDENTIAL > 2001VATICA05814 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL