Father Joseph Guo Jincai, who was ordained as a bishop of Chengde in China without the papal approval, may face excommunication.
The Vatican said the country was damaging the faith and that Father
Jincai risked excommunication for being ordained without the papal
consent, The Guardian reported.
Father Jincai was made the first bishop of Chengde in northern Hebei
province on Nov. 20 without papal approval and under close surveillance
of local government officials.
Pope Benedict XVI said he was praying for the country’s bishops, “so that they may bear witness to their faith with courage”.
He has called for prayers for Catholics in China after renewed tensions with the government over the illicit ordination.
The Vatican had earlier in a communiqué expressed its regret over the
ordination and termed the act as a “grave violation of Catholic
discipline.”
It said that the Holy See will carry out an evaluation of the
incident, including the validity of the ordination and the canonical
position of the bishops involved.
It also stated that Father Jincai is exposing himself to severe sanctions.
SIC: CTH/INDIA
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to Clerical Whispers, its contributors or its Team, or the blogspot itself, for any or all of the articles placed here.
The publishing of an article here does not, nor should it be interpreted as, an agreement or acceptance, of the article contents as being factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Accessing this blogspot and perusing its articles is considered as an acceptance of the above.
Seán Keohane,
Editor, Clerical Whispers