Novena Starts To End Secret Vatican Accord With China

Catholics worldwide are invited to join a nine-day prayer initiative from May 16 to May 24, 2025, dedicated to the Catholic Church in China and the pursuit of an end to the 2018 agreement between Chinese authorities and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin during the pontificate of Pope Francis.

The prayer initiative is being promoted by the Repeal the Deal Campaign: a joint project of the Committee on the Present Danger: China (CPDC) and the Save the Persecuted Christians (STPC) coalition, which is linked to the Institute for the American Future. Frank Ganey, who served in the Reagan administration as an assistant secretary of defense, is the founder. According to its website, the institute "seeks to accomplish its mission by providing early warning about emerging threats," as well as counter threats to the United States and cooperate with "patriots" to further those goals. 

May 24 is the Vatican’s World Day of Prayer for the Church in China.

According to a press release, "this Repeal The Deal novena seeks to uplift Chinese Catholics facing persecution and suppression under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and to encourage the Holy See to be reconciled and reunited with long-suffering Chinese Catholics experiencing increased persecution, alienation and confusion as a consequence of the deal."

The Catholic Church in China, with roots dating back to the 1600s, faces an ongoing campaign by the CCP to isolate Chinese Catholics from Rome and establish a state-controlled “patriotic” Church. Through measures like property expropriation, surveillance, and propaganda, the CCP enforces the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, demanding self-government, self-support, and self-propagation to sever ties with the Holy See. This initiative calls for prayers to strengthen the resolve of Chinese Catholics, protect their faith, and support Pope Leo XIV in addressing these challenges.

Key Prayer Intentions Include:

• Strength and Endurance (May 16): For Chinese Catholics to find courage and hope in Christ amidst persecution and restrictions.

• Freedom and Justice (May 17): For an end to religious suppression and the release of imprisoned Christians.

• Spiritual Growth (May 18): For the Gospel to spread and for Chinese Christians to boldly share their faith.

• Families and Children (May 19): For parents to pass on their faith despite laws banning children under 18 from religious activities.

• Underground Church (May 20): For the faithful who risk persecution to remain in communion with Pope Leo XIV.

• Missing Clergy (May 21): For the 10 detained Catholic bishops and the beatification of Cardinal Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei.

• Pope Leo XIV (May 22): For discernment and courage in confronting the CCP’s influence.

• Church Unity (May 23): For the protection of church leaders forced to promote Communist ideology.

• Christ’s Example (May 24): For Chinese Christians to reflect Jesus’ sacrificial love as a witness to hope.

The novena draws inspiration from Cardinal Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei, who endured three decades of torture for refusing to renounce the Pope. He was archbishop of Shanghai from 1950 until his death in 2000. According to Cardinal Kung Pin-Mei, “To separate from the sole representative of Jesus Christ on earth, the Roman Pontiff, is to make myself losing the most basic Catholic faith, becoming a heretic without the pope.”

The Repeal the Deal Campaign is calling on Catholics to pray the intercessory prayer to St. Joseph located at RepealTheDeal.org to foster solidarity with Chinese Catholics and ask the Lord to inspire Pope Leo XIV to rectify and restore the fullness of faith and church authority for the Catholic Church in China. The coalition is calling on Catholics in the United States to contact President Trump and their bishops to voice their opposition to the deal with China.

Repeal The Deal is promoting a soon to be released documentary film, featuring prolife demographer Steven Moser of the Population Research Institute, among others.