Extrait de Maximum Illud à l'occasion de la consécration des six premiers évêques de Chine
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.35312/67gtf652Mots-clés :
Maximum Illud, Chinese Bishops, Celso Constantini, Vincent LebbeRésumé
Cet article retrace le processus qui, à partir de la lettre apostolique Maximum illud de Benoît XV (1919), a conduit, sept ans plus tard, à la consécration épiscopale des six premiers évêques chinois. Au cœur de l'analyse se trouve l'évolution de la réflexion du Saint-Siège sur la nature des missions, de moins en moins influencée par la rhétorique nationaliste et colonialiste qui prévalait à l'époque et s'orientant progressivement vers la création d'Églises locales dotées de leur propre clergé et de leur propre hiérarchie. Dans ce cadre, l’action de Mgr Celso Costantini, premier délégué apostolique en Chine, à qui incombait la tâche de mettre en pratique les indications romaines à travers la préparation du premier Concile plénier chinois (1924) et la promotion de structures ecclésiastiques stables sur place, revêt une importance particulière. La consécration épiscopale des six premiers évêques chinois – dont deux étaient vincentiens – est considérée comme l’aboutissement cohérent de ce cheminement et comme un moment fondateur pour la pleine insertion de l’Église chinoise dans la catholicité universelle, dans laquelle la Congrégation de la Mission a joué un rôle de premier plan.
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