Fr Simon Li Zhigang, who was appointed
bishop of Chengdu (Sichuan) a month ago, died last Saturday of liver cancer at
9:48 (local time), at the age of 48 years.
This year they had celebrated the 20th anniversary of Father Li’s priesthood and 10th as an administrator of the diocese of Chengdu.
This year they had celebrated the 20th anniversary of Father Li’s priesthood and 10th as an administrator of the diocese of Chengdu.
He
was elected May 10, 2011 by an assembly composed of 23 priests, 17 lay
people, four sisters and a seminarian.
He received 41 votes of the 45
votes, with three abstentions and one against. Until now he had not
received the mandate of the Holy See.
Church sources told AsiaNews that Father Li was hospitalized in recent days, and most of the priests from the diocese gathered at his sick bed yesterday (June 17) and prayed for him, during which Father Li received the Last Sacrament.
Church sources told AsiaNews that Father Li was hospitalized in recent days, and most of the priests from the diocese gathered at his sick bed yesterday (June 17) and prayed for him, during which Father Li received the Last Sacrament.
“Apparently Father Li was peaceful and happy with
the prayer gathering of the priests, despite he suffered physical
pains,” a priest said.
Other Church sources also said Father Li’s episcopal ordination was scheduled to be in late 2011, after other bishop ordinations of Sichuan.
Other Church sources also said Father Li’s episcopal ordination was scheduled to be in late 2011, after other bishop ordinations of Sichuan.
The dioceses of Leshan, Xichang, Nanchong and Yibin (all in Sichuan)
are ready with bishop candidates. So far, Father Li and two of the
Sichuan candidates had no mandate from Holy See.
Born in October 1963 in Mianyang of Chengdu diocese, Father Li studied at the Sichuan Regional Seminary in 1984-1987. He was ordained a priest in April 1991. He had been an assistant parish pastor of the cathedral parish.
Born in October 1963 in Mianyang of Chengdu diocese, Father Li studied at the Sichuan Regional Seminary in 1984-1987. He was ordained a priest in April 1991. He had been an assistant parish pastor of the cathedral parish.
In 1996-2000 He had served as vice-rector and rector at the
Sichuan seminary.
Since December 2000, he had been administrator of the
diocese.
Since 2006, he had been the chairperson of Chengdu city
patriotic association.
Chengdu diocese has 23 priests, 13 nuns, and nearly 100,000 Catholics.
Chengdu diocese has 23 priests, 13 nuns, and nearly 100,000 Catholics.
In 2008, Sichuan province was hard-hit by earthquake. Many places of
Chengdu diocese have been devastated.
Father Li was involved in the
reconstruction work.