The bishop emeritus of Hong Kong said, “Pope Francis promotes the Holy See’s negotiations with China for the good of the church, to bring something good to the church and to the whole of humanity.”

The AsiaNews agency said Mindong Bishop Vincent Guo Xijin and his chancellor were taken away Monday, at the start of Holy Week.

The Vatican and China, which severed diplomatic ties in 1951, have had on-again, off-again talks since the 1980s.

To viewers aware of racism and the unpleasant history of colonialism, the sketch “Joy Together” was full of offensive content.

Fides, the organization that published the data, said it is "an invitation and a call" to evangelize.