(Beijing) The Holy See’s Press Office issued a statement on November 26 condemning Beijing for installing a bishop in a diocese not recognized by the Holy See. The Vatican accused the Chinese authorities of violating the Vatican-China bishop appointment agreement. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on November 28 that it had no knowledge of the “specific circumstances.” All the evidence shows that Beijing is not bound by the Holy See and the Vatican-China bilateral agreement on the appointment of bishops and will not respect the Vatican’s right to appoint bishops.
The website of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association publicized that on November 24, “the consent of the Jiangxi Provincial Catholic Educational Affairs Committee and the approval of the Chinese Catholic bishops’ conference, the Catholic Diocese of Jiangxi held the ceremony for the installation of Peng Weizhao as auxiliary bishop.”
The installation took place in Nanchang, Jiangxi, and around 200 people were in attendance. It was presided over by Bishop John Baptist Li Suguang, vice-president of the Chinese Catholic Bishops’ Conference; this institution has not been recognized by the Holy See.
On November 24, Bishop John Peng Weizhao of the diocese of Yujiang in Jiangxi was unilaterally appointed by China as auxiliary or coadjutor bishop of Jiangxi province. The Holy See said it was “noted with surprise and regret” to learn of the news from China, which appeared to be the most severe breach of the 2018 agreement between the Holy See and Beijing on the appointment of bishops, according to Vatican News.
The statement said that the “diocese of Jiangxi” set up by the Chinese authorities has not been recognized by the Holy See, pointing out that the event “has not taken place in conformity with the spirit of dialogue that exists between the Vatican parties and the Chinese parties and what has been stipulated in the Provisional Agreement on the Appointment of Bishops of 22 September 2018.” The public does not know the confidential content of the bilateral agreement.
The Vatican’s statement also noted that “the civil recognition of Bishop Peng was preceded…by prolonged and intense pressure by the local Authorities.” The Holy See said it looked forward to “appropriate communication about the matter from the Authorities” and hoped “similar episodes will not be repeated.” The Holy See concluded by saying it “reaffirms its complete willingness to continue the respectful dialogue concerning all of the matters of common interest.”
The 56-year-old Peng Weizhao (Holy name: John) studied at the National Seminary in Beijing and became a priest in 1989, succeeding the then elderly bishop Thomas Zeng Jingmu. Bishop Zeng died in 2016 at the age of 96; he spent 23 years in prison. Peng John Weizhao was appointed by the Holy See as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Yujiang in 2012. In April 2014, during the Easter season, he was ordained secretly by the Holy See as bishop. A few weeks after Peng was ordained, he was arrested by the Chinese Communist government. He was released in November 2014; however, he was subjected to strict restrictions by the authorities and could not perform his duties.
AsiaNews reported that as early as September 22, Peng John Weizhao notified the clergy that he was about to resign as bishop of Yujiang and accept government arrangements. On October 11, he also participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new bishop’s palace to be built in Nanchang, which is considered a model of Xi Jinping’s “Sinicization of religion.” Bishop Peng accepted the status quo despite the objections expressed by Yujiang’s clergy.
According to the website of Catholic Church in China (chinacatholic.cn), at the installation ceremony, he read the following oath: “I wish to abide by God’s commandments, to fulfill my pastoral duties as an auxiliary bishop, to proclaim the Gospel faithfully, to lead the prelates and laity of the Diocese of Jiangxi, to abide by the State constitution, to uphold the unity of the motherland and social harmony, to love my country and my religion, to adhere to the principle of independence and self-management, to develop religions in the Chinese context, to actively guides religions to adapt to the socialist society, to contribute strength to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
This statement reflects that Peng John Weizhao is under tremendous pressure from the Chinese government.
The provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops was signed in 2018 by representatives of both the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China for a two-year trial period. In October 2020, the agreement was extended for another two years. On October 22, this year, the agreement was renewed again.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately comment on the matter. But when asked about the Holy See’s statement, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said he was “unaware of the specific issue” mentioned.
~Gao Zhensai, Special Correspondent of ChinaAid
