Milan (AsiaNews/Agencies) – After two episcopal ordinations in Chifeng and Bameng in July, a new ordination took place today in China under the agreement between the Holy See and the Chinese government.
Father Paul Liu Honggang, 56, was consecrated bishop of Datong, a diocese located in a mountainous region in northern Shanxi Province, not far from the border with Inner Mongolia, where the other two ordinations were officially performed only a few weeks ago.
With this appointment, the Diocese of Datong once again has a pastor after the death in 2005 of its previous office holder, Bishop Thaddeus Guo Yingong, who had rebuilt the local Catholic community after spending the dark years of the Cultural Revolution in forced labour.
Bishop Liu Honggang’s consecration was held in the Catholic Church of the Pingcheng District, Datong City, in a ceremony presided over by Bishop Shen Bin of Shanghai, head of the Council of Chinese Catholic Bishops (the collegiate body not officially recognised by the Holy See).
The other co-consecrating bishops were Bishop Ding Lingbin of Changzhi, Bishop Liu Genzhu of Linfen, Bishop Ma Cunguo of Shuozhou, and Bishop Ji Weizhong of Lüliang.
As is the case in such ceremonies, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association’s website reported that "Father Yang Yu, secretary general of the Council of Chinese Catholic Bishops, read the Council's decree of approval," without citing the new bishop’s appointment by Pope Leo XIV, which took place on 10 August, as reported by the Vatican Press Office.
A total of 200 people, including priests, nuns, and representatives of the faithful, attended the consecration ceremony.
Bishop Liu Honggang was born on 2 November 1970, in Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City (Shanxi), and was given the baptismal name of Paul.
He attended Fenyang Seminary from 1988 to 1992, followed, from 1992 to 1996, by the National Seminary of Beijing, where he obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Theology. On 24 November 1996, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Datong.
From December 1996 to 1999, he held the position of parish priest in Zhangguantun; from 2000 to 2003, he was parish priest in Xubao, then serving Xihehe parish, from 2003 to 2005.
Since 15 March 2005, he has held the office of diocesan administrator (as well as deputy director of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association in Shanxi Province, according to government sources).
Datong is a city with ancient roots. Marco Polo visited it. The origins of its Christian community date back to the late 17th century with the Jesuit missions.
In more recent years, it was also a mission area for the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (the Belgian institute known as the Scheut missionaries).
At the time when foreign missionaries were expelled from the diocese by Mao's communists, the Holy See records indicated 7,720 baptised Catholics, served by six diocesan priests and seven religious priests.
Father Guo Yingong, who had grown up in this Catholic community and was ordained a priest in 1946, remained to take care of them.
When the Cultural Revolution began in 1966 and intensified the persecution, aiming to eradicate the Catholic Church in China, Father Guo was sentenced to forced labour in a rural area while all churches were closed.
In the 1980s he was able to resume his ministry openly and in 1990, he became the first Chinese bishop of Datong. He died in 2005 at the age of 87.
For the past 20 years, like many other dioceses in China, Shanxi has endured ever-tightening restrictions imposed by the Communist Party. In February 2023, a historic building belonging to the local Catholic community, located in an area of high urban value, was demolished.
Despite everything, the small local Chinese church has always maintained its vitality. On 11 April 2024, it experienced the joy of the priestly ordination of two of its deacons, the first since 2010, presided over by Bishop Paul Ma Cunguo of Shuozhou.
