致中华人民共和国 保定教区助理主教 安树新主教（方济各）

致中华人民共和国

   保定教区助理主教

   安树新主教（方济各）

N．696/10/RS

                                                   自梵蒂冈，二0一0年二月十日

亲爱的主教弟兄：

圣父教宗本笃十六世很高兴读了主教您于二00九年十一月十二日给教宗的信，向教宗表达了您对基督、对教会的忠贞之情，以及您对伯多禄继承人充满孝爱的敬意。

就此，教宗委派我向主教您转告以下几点：

1）圣父教宗在精神上与您、与教区苏志民主教（雅格）以及教区整个团体紧密结合在一起。教宗密切关注着中国教会的生活，对那些处在特别艰难境地中的各教区更予以特别的关怀。

2）教宗向您们的教区主教，多年失去了自由、无法履行牧养交托其照管的羊群职责的苏志民主教（雅格）予以特殊的出降幅。

3）至于您于苏长山主教（若望）共祭的问题，现在大家都已经知道了，因为主教您已获悉苏长山蒙席强烈渴望，并坚持要求与教宗完全共融。苏蒙席身陷令其倍受煎的处境，深感痛苦；期待着圣座对他的信作出回复。在给圣座的信中，苏蒙席保证，未经教宗批准的主教祝圣是违背他的意愿的。这件事情，可以说已了结了。

4）圣座深知您在中国天主教爱国会内的存在做成了诸多棘手而复杂的困难和问题。鉴于您的特定情况，此类决定本应该避免。然而，当前局势下，主教您似乎最好不要主动放弃现有这种可以公开活动的可能，并要伴随和领导您的全体官方和地下教会的司铎。圣座将继续关注这一问题，一旦出现重要新动向，将会以适当的指示帮助主教您。

5）同时，圣座寄希望于保定教区全体司欢喜，在苏志民主教不在的情况下对您应有的服从。圣座理解所有人要作出的牺牲，但司铎们围绕主教的合一，将是忠实于基督、爱教会的有力见证、表里如一的见证；有助于心灵的和谐与合一，促进保定教区全体成员的传教激情。

6）因着这种情感，教宗为主教您、为保定教区的司铎、修女以及全体平信徒教友，祈求天主的护佑，并向您们颁赠宗座遐福。

中国农历新年庆典将至之际，我愿意与圣父教宗一起祈祷、祝福，使即将到来的四旬期能够成为契机，使保定教区整个团体以新的努力和崭新的面貌，忠实的服务于基督、服务于基督的教会。

在要求您在您认为最适当的时机将上述内容告知保定教区的同时，我将苏志民主教、主教您、全体司铎、修女和平信徒教友们，都托付给敬礼在东闾的中华圣母至圣玛利亚的代祷。借此，向您保证我的祈祷以及手足之情的问候。

                      您在基督内挚诚的

                                                圣座国务卿

                贝尔托内枢机Tarcisio Card. Bertone

His Excellency

The Most Reverend Francis An Shuxin

Coadjutor Bishop of Baoding

Baoding

People’s Republic of China

N.696/10/RS                        From the Vatican,10 February 2010

Dear Brother Bishop,

    His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI was pleased to read the letter which you wrote to him on 12 November 2009 in which you expressed your sentiments of faithfulness to Christ and the Church and your filial devotion to the Successor of Peter.

    In this regard, His Holiness has requested me to communicate the following to your Excellency:

1)     The Holy Father is spiritually close to you, to the Diocese Bishop James Su Zhimin and the entire diocesan community. He follows the life of the Church in China with great attention, showing special concern for those diocesan communities living in particularly difficult situations.

2)     The Supreme Pontiff sends a special blessing to your Diocesan Bishop James Su Zhimin, who for many years has been deprived of freedom and the possibility of exercising his Episcopal ministry towards the flock entrusted to his pastoral care.

3)     With regard to your Eucharistic concelebration with Bishop John Su Changshan, everyone is now in a position to know that this occurred because Your Excellency was aware that Bishop Su Changshan ardently desired and insistently requested full communion with the Holy Father. Bishop Su was troubled by the situation caused him much suffering, and he awaited the response of the Holy See to his letters in which he gave assurances that Episcopal ordination without the papal mandate was against his will. This case is to be considered closed.

4)     The Holy See is aware that your presence in the Chinese Catholic patriotic Association gives rise to difficulties and issues which are delicate and complex. In your specific situation, such a decision should have been avoided. Nevertheless ,in the present circumstances it seems preferable for Your Excellency not to give up, on your own initiative, the possibility you have at present of acting in an official way and to accompany and lead all your priests, whether official or clandestine .The Holy See will continue to follow the question and if there are significant developments ,it will not fail to come to Your Excellency’s assistance with suitable guidelines.

5)     In the meanwhile, the Holy See counts on the obedience which the entire clergy of Baoding owes you in the absence of Bishop Su Zhimin.

6)     With these sentiments, the Supreme pontiff invokes divine protection on Your Excellency and on the priests, religious and all the lay faithful of the Diocese of Baoding and imparts his Apostolic Blessing.

 As we approach the celebration of the Chinese New Year, allow me to associate myself with the prayer and good wishes of the Holy Father that the forthcoming season of Lent may provide an opportunity for fresh commitment and renewal in the part of the entire diocesan community of Baoding in faithful service to Christ and the Church.

 Asking you to bring the above to attention of the Diocese of Baoding in the  manner you consider most opportune, I entrust Bishop Su Zhimin, as well as your Excellency and all the priests, religious and lay faithful to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, venerated at Donglu under the title of Our Lady of China. With the assurance of my prayers and fraternal good wishes, I remain

                 Your sincerely in Christ, 

                 Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone

                    Secretary of State