Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, announced today that a Provisional Agreement has been reached between the Holy See and China resolving the status of Catholic clergy in China. Both the Vatican and the Chinese government now recognize all of the Bishops in China. Cardinal Parolin did a brief video announcement about this breakthrough, easy to find on YouTube. This is the result of many years of quiet, behind-the-scenes diplomacy. I am sure that more details about this sensitive diplomatic process will be revealed in the coming days. Good news at a moment when headlines are all about crises, conflicts, abuses and wars.
