The Church in China, 1609 and 2009

Arturo Vasquez offers his thoughts on the biography of this blog's namesake, summarizing that "the book is about the Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci’s ambitions and dreams to convert the Emperor of China and thus the whole country to Roman Catholicism, and all the misfires, foibles, and tragedies that occur along the way" — Lost in translation. Mr. Vasquez concludes, "As for Catholic evangelism in general, I did not come away from the book very optimistic."

Sandro Magister looks at the assessment of the great churchman Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun, S.D.B., on the second anniversary of "the letter addressed by Benedict XVI to Chinese Catholics" — The Pope Translated into Chinese. With Too Many Errors. His Eminence draws attention to a "false interpretation" that "has had disastrous consequences all over the Church in China."

Our Lady of China, pray for us.