Church in China

The bishop of Shanghai is in Rome for the conference marking the centennial of the first meeting of all Chinese bishops. The Church is one, but its development in China must "be in line" with the "great rebirth of the Chinese nation”. Communion with the pontiff is “the best guarantee of a faith freed from external political interests,” said Card Parolin. “There may be misunderstandings, but [they are] never half-hearted with respect to the Church's journey in China.”

In a video message to a conference being held in Rome at the Urbaniana University with participants from the People's Republic of China the history and present of the Church in China on the centenary of the Shanghai Council. ‘Those who follow Jesus love peace, and stand together with all those who work for peace’.

Sources told AsiaNews that two members of the underground Catholic community in Hebei have not been heard from for days, raising serious concern. It is thought that, like in other cases, they have been subjected to restrictive measures by local authorities. The diocese is the same where, a century ago, the Council of Shanghai pushed for the Marian shrine in Donglu. At present, pressure remains very strong on communities that refuse to join the various bodies of China’s “official” Church.

A year after his first historic visit to Beijing, the cardinal and a group of aides held meetings in local churches in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, two metropolises in southern China on, like Hong Kong, the Pearl River Delta. He also encouraged meetings among the laity to feel “that we belong to one family”.

A delegation of 11 representatives of China’s “official” Catholic bodies took part in the assemblies that ratify Xi Jinping's political choices. Bishop Yang Yongqiang, one of the two bishops who attended the Synod at the Vatican, was also present. Bishop Shen Bin told journalists that the new goals for China’s Catholic community are “self-control, self-management, and self-construction”.

A book published in Italy traces the story of the missionary bishop of Zhengzhou, the immediate predecessor of one of three recently appointed bishops in the People's Republic of China. Paul VI praised him for his extraordinary example of courage and fidelity to the Gospel in communist imprisonment and for the love he always kept alive for the flock that had been entrusted to him, even in exile.

The Apostolic Administrator of Harbin released a message to the faithful centred on the path to Easter. Following Pope Francis' call, he urges them to “prepare for the Great Jubilee in 2025” helping the Chinese Church to turn “Externalized ‘chanting’” into a deep prayer so that we can “fully and completely place ourselves before God”.

The three recent appointments of bishops indicate a willingness not to break. But the Agreement with the Vatican is never even mentioned by the People's Republic of China. While a "five-year plan" for Catholics has just come into force that cites Xi Jinping instead of the pope and invokes a "theological foundation" to a Sinicization that in fact remains only an adaptation to Party policy.

Bishop Peter Wu Yishun, 59, approved by Pope Francis for the apostolic prefecture of Shaowu, without a bishop since the expulsion of Salvatorian Bishop König in the 1950s. The rite - which closes the triptych of ceremonies announced for these days - was presided over by Beijing Bishop Li Shan.

After the ordination in Zhengzhou, a new ceremony was held today in Shandong. Bishop Anthony Sun Wenjun, 53, takes over from the former Apostolic Prefecture of Yiduxian, vacant since 2008. By replacing it with the Diocese of Weifang, Pope Francis has accepted the redrawing of the diocesan borders decided by Beijing.

Msgr Wang Yuesheng, 57, president of the Patriotic Association in this province, had long been the Party's designated administrator in a diocese without a bishop since the Communists exiled the Italian Xaverian missionary Faustino Tissot in 1953. The rite was presided over by Shanghai Bishop Shen Bin.

Security forces took the prelate into custody last night, telling him to bring clothes for every season. Ordained coadjutor bishop with papal mandate in 2011, he is not recognised by the authorities for refusing to join the Patriotic Association. Since the death of his predecessor in 2016, he has been prevented from carrying out his ministry in one of China’s oldest and foremost Catholic communities. Now “the faithful are praying for him” and his release, a source told AsiaNews.