Holy See: Review Vatican-China Agreement

The new Pope, Leo XIV, should direct an urgent review of the Vatican’s 2018 agreement with the Chinese government that allows Beijing to appoint bishops for government-approved houses of worship.

Holy See country page map
  • Religious Freedom
    St. Joseph's Church, also known as Wangfujing Catholic Church, in Beijing, China, October 22, 2020.
  • LGBT Rights
    Pope Francis has repeatedly made news this fall, calling for a Catholic Church that is more welcoming toward LGBTQ+ people. In October, a newly released documentary on the Pope’s life aired earlier comments in support of same-sex civil unions. During a September visit to Hungary and Slovakia, the Pope commented on the need for the Church to “do pastoral work” with same-sex couples. At a press conference a few days later, he remarked on the prospect of same-sex civil unions, saying that “if a homosexual couple wants to lead a life together, the State has the possibility to give them safety, stability, inheritance.”
    On LGBTQ+ Rights, Ghana’s Bishops Choose to Ignore Pope
  • LGBT Rights
    Pope Francis attends a inter-religious ceremony for peace in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, in Rome, October 20, 2020.
    Why the Pope’s Endorsement of Same-Sex Unions Matters