By Philip Pullella
ROME (Reuters) – Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said on Wednesday that a controversial deal with Beijing on the appointment of Roman Catholic bishops in China would be renewed.
The deal, which was first signed two years ago and expires on Thursday, will be renewed for another two years, he said.
Asked by reporters on the sidelines of an event at a Rome university if it was a done deal, Parolin said: “Yes, I can anticipate to you that all will go well.”
The accord with Beijing gives the pope final say over the appointment of Chinese bishops and the government allows all of them, including those hailing from a state-backed Church, to recognise the pope’s authority.
The deal has been highly contested by the U.S. State Department and conservative Catholics, who say the Vatican has sold out to the communist government.
Parolin said the final decision to renew had been made “in the last few days” after final contacts with the Chinese side. The deal would be extended without any new signatures because it was still an provisional deal.
The official announcement is due on Thursday, he said.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Gareth Jones and Giles Elgood)
