Security officials have detained two “underground” Catholic priests in the northwestern part of Hebei province. Father’s Joseph Wang Jianchen and Joseph Li De of Xuanhua were stopped and “taken away” on the morning of May 30 in Hebei City, while traveling to hold Trinity Sunday Mass for parishioners in Huaian County, ucanews.com reports.
Church sources told ucanews.com the police officers were lying in wait for the priests in three vehicles.
They believe the authorities must have found out about the recent ordination of Father Li which led to the detentions.
Father Li was ordained less than six months ago.
Father Wang, 40, was born to a Catholic family and was ordained a priest in 1989. He has served in Huaian and Wenquan counties since 2000.
The detention of the two priests follows the detention of Fathers Liu Jianzhong, Zhang Cunhui, Zhang Jianlin and Zhong Mingchang, also from Hebei diocese, last year.
All were later released except Father Zhang Jianlin, who was sent home for “reflection” but has to report to the local government every day.
Meanwhile, the sources also said government officials held a meeting with all priests from the “open” community and some underground clergy, May 17-21, regarding the Holy See’s China Commission meeting held at the Vatican in March.
The Chinese officials criticized the commission’s communiqué, saying that it interfered with the internal policy of China, one of the sources said.
SIC: CTHAS