Sunday, November 21, 2010

Another Chinese bishop pressed into illicit ordination

Details emerged today of  Chinese bishops recognized by Rome reportedly being forced to participate in an illicit ordination while the Holy See said that it was disturbed by developments.

Ucanews.com reports that it has learnt that, apart from four bishops of Hebei province, Bishop Paul Pei Junmin of Liaoning (Shenyang) is on the list of designated prelates to attend the ordination of Father Joseph Guo Jincai, who was scheduled to be made Bishop of Chengde without papal mandate on Nov. 20.

Others on the list are Bishop Peter Fang Jingping of Tangshan as the presiding celebrant. Bishops Pei, Joseph Li Liangui of Cangzhou (Xianxian), Peter Feng Xinmao of Hengshui (Jingxian) and Coadjutor Francis An Shuxin of Baoding are to be concelebrants.

Sources close to Bishop Pei told ucanews.com that the 41-year-old prelate was in Chifeng 
diocese, Inner Mongolia, to ordain new priests Nov. 18th.

“Religious officials of Liaoning have arrived there to escort him to Chengde, probably tomorrow,” a source said.

Bishop Pei is unable to contact other bishops but still has some freedom to meet with the new priests and other Catholics, the source said.

Church people in Hebei believed their prelates are now in Beijing. They say they hope for the outside world to know the difficult situation of the bishops and for people’s prayers.

The Vatican was disturbed by the reports of bishops being forced to participate.

“If these reports are true, then the Holy See would consider such actions as grave violations of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience,” Vatican spokesperson Father Federico Lombardi said in a statement on Nov. 18.

It would also consider such an ordination as illicit and damaging to 
the constructive relations that have been developing recently between the People’s Republic of China and the Holy See, it says.

“The Holy See, keen to develop positive relations with China, has contacted the Chinese authorities on this whole matter and has made its own position clear,” Father Lombardi said.

By Nov. 15, the open Church has ordained 10 bishops this year, all with approval from the Vatican and the Chinese government.

SIC: CTHN/ASIA