The term underground church is used to refer to Chinese Catholic churches in the People's Republic of China which have chosen not to associate with the state-sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association; they are also called loyal church . "Underground" does not mean the underground church is secret (the community mostly operates openly) but refers to its lack of official approval and lack of official support. Underground churches came into existence in the 1950s, after the Communist Party's proclamation of the People's Republic of China, due to the severing of ties between Chinese Catholics and the Holy See.[1]
There continues to be tensions between underground churches and "open churches" which have joined the state-sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association .[2]
The description of an "underground church" reflects language that was made popular during the Cold War, when these churches came about. Underground churches are also sometimes referred to as "Vatican loyalists" because they have attempted to remain loyal to the Pope and the Holy See. There is no established organization structure of underground churches, though they tend to be clustered around a number of Vatican-ordained bishops.[3] From 1978 until 2007, the Vatican permitted the underground church to ordain new bishops without Vatican approval.
In 1989, underground churches formed the Bishops Conference of Mainland China as separate from the state-sanctioned, which was established in 1980.
Chinese Catholics associated with underground churches are often seen in contrast with the Chinese Catholics associated with the Catholic Patriotic Association, often termed "open churches", which are officially independent of the Holy See.[4]
"Underground" does not mean the underground church is secret (the community mostly operates openly) but refers to its lack of official approval and lack of official support.[5]
Protestant churches in China which have not joined the state-sanctioned Protestant church, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, are generally termed house churches rather than underground churches.
In May 2007, Pope Benedict XVI wrote an open letter to all Chinese Catholics, stating that there is one Catholic Church in China and that despite the two communities (i.e. the "Patriotic" Church and the "Underground" Church) there is no schism between them. Benedict XVI stated that sacraments performed by the priests not in unity with the Vatican were valid but also illicit. He stated that the Catholic Church accepts the legitimacy of the civil authorities in secular matters and that the Pope has authority in ecclesial matters, and therefore the involvement of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association in the appointment of bishops (and its bishops conference) violated Catholic doctrine. The letter also removed the permission granted by the Vatican in 1978 to the Underground church to appoint bishops without Vatican approval.