Catholic dioceses in China are being required to show how they will reduce foreign influences and adopt a more Chinese ideological and theological identity. The aim is to do this through a five-year plan running until 2022.
A strategy was agreed at a May 17 meeting of the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC) and the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA). Recently churches in two provinces have held training seminars on the plan to promote what is known as ‘sinicisation’ (modify by Chinese influence) of the Chinese Catholic Church. The planning document requires development of church management policies with “Chinese characteristics” includes adopting Church architecture, painting and sacred music more in keeping with Chinese culture and traditions.