03/22/2015, 00.00
CHINA - VATICAN
Send to a friend

BREAKING NEWS: Chinese police seize two priests in Mutanjiang

by Bernardo Cervellera

Rome (AsiaNews) - Chinese police seized two priests today in the city of Mutanjiang (Heilongjiang). The two clergymen - Fr Shaoyun Quan, 41, and Fr Jianyou Cao, 43 - had just celebrated Mass. After their arrest at 10.30 am, they were taken to an unknown location.

Fr Quan, the parish priest, and Fr Cao, his deputy, serve underground communities that are not recognised by the government. They perform their duties at locations that are not registered with the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Under existing rules, religious activities outside government control are illegal. Anyone involved in such actions can be arrested for "criminal" activities.

Still, local Catholics are stunned by the violence of the two clergymen's arrest. Although they are underground priests, their activities were known to police, and tolerated as long as they kept a "low profile". Indeed, the two carried out their duties, including evangelisation, "peacefully" and "quietly" in the past few months.

Lately, some observers and the international press have reported with some confidence that China would soon start talks with the Holy See over diplomatic relations.

However, in recent statements, Chinese authorities reiterated their intention to proceed with electing and appointing bishops without papal mandate or consideration for underground communities.

 

 

TAGs
Send to a friend
Printable version
CLOSE X
See also
"We are optimistic," says Paul Bhatti as Rimsha Masih's bail hearing postponed to Friday
03/09/2012
Chinese Priest: Nothing changed for the Church in China after the agreement
19/11/2018 10:30
Pope talks about the Middle East, the Holy Land and the food crisis with Bush
13/06/2008
Bishop Augustine Cui Tai of Xuanhua is again sequestered by police
23/06/2020 13:29
New regulations on religions: Annihilate underground communities, suffocate official communities
11/09/2017 13:47


Newsletter

Subscribe to Asia News updates or change your preferences

Subscribe now
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”