Bizblogger reminds us that with the Pope’s passing, there are still those in China who are not free to worship as they wish. He also notes something unknown certainly to myself and probably many others. An unidentified secret cardinal.

While there are 117 known cardinals preparing to select the next pope, the number could actually be 118. When John Paul II created new cardinals in 2003, he said he was keeping one name secret, or “in pectore,” meaning “in the heart.” The name remains secret until the pope announces it or leaves other instructions. This formula has been used when a pope wants to name a cardinal in a country where the church is oppressed, which leads me to believe that there could be an “underground” Chinese cardinal.

He then points us in the direction of a post over at Precinct 333 who brings this issue to light, and wonders further:

Would a stranger from a strange land, one who has lived under the bootheel of totalitarian oppression (much like a certain Polish cardinal in 1978) have great influence ???????? or even bee seen as the key to liberating his homeland if elected, just as John Paul II????????s words and deeds were instrumental in liberating Poland and the rest of the Eastern Bloc?

So much could hinge on the identity of the cardinal ???????in pectore,??????? if only we learn his identity.

Catholics in China can only worship in official “Patriotic” Churches, and are harassed and arrested when participating in the large underground church. Strangely enough, the Vatican is mulling over at the moment cutting ties with Taiwan in order to establish them with China.

HONG KONG (Reuters) – The Vatican is reluctantly ready tocut ties with Taiwan and recognize China if Beijing canguarantee religious freedom, the head of the Hong Kong RomanCatholic diocese said on Tuesday.

But a top Vatican diplomat denied any change to itsposition and said it did not expect any movement until afterthe election of a successor to Pope John Paul, who died onSaturday.

Speaking to Reuters, Bishop Joseph Zen played down mediareports quoting him as saying that the Holy See was “thinkingof giving up” Taiwan, which China’s communist rulers havetreated as a breakaway province since winning the civil war in1949.

Beijing severed relations with the Holy See in the 1950safter expelling foreign clergy. Believers today must attendstate-sanctioned churches which pledge loyalty to Beijing,although many secretly acknowledge the Pope’s authority.

“If the Chinese government is willing to grant real freedomto the church in mainland China, then the Vatican wouldreluctantly be willing to give up its diplomatic relations withTaiwan,” Zen said.

“The unfair thing is, Beijing wants the Vatican to stop itsrelations with Taiwan first before it will talk with theVatican.”

China and the Vatican have shown signs of rapprochement inthe past only to hit new lows, and Beijing, concerned aboutchallenges to Communist Party rule, is unlikely to relinquishcontrol over religious groups.

Good luck with that. In the long run, the church would have access to both China and Taiwan. That’s why I doubt something like this will happen, at least if the Communists want to stay in power any longer than they already have. They know that as soon as people are able to practice religion freely, their days are quickly numbered.

That would make a Chinese cardinal a particularly interesting development.