China unilaterally appoints Shanghai Bishop, breaking Vatican agreement

shanghai, pudong, the bund-2129813.jpg

(Shanghai, China) China unilaterally appointed Bishop Joseph Shen Bin of the Diocese of Haimen to a new appointment in Shanghai. This is a clear violation of the China-Vatican agreement on the appointment of bishops.

The installation ceremony

According to the Guangqi News Agency of the Shanghai Diocese, on April 4, the St. Ignatius Cathedral (Xujiahui Catholic Church) of the Shanghai Diocese held a bishop installation ceremony. Father Ignatius Wu Jianlin, who is recognized by the official Catholic Church, presided over the ceremony. Father Joseph Yang Yu, secretary-general of the government-approved Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC), read the letter of appointment of Bishop Joseph Shen Bin of Haimen diocese to the head Bishop of Shanghai diocese. Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing presided over the ceremony and delivered some remarks. About 200 priests, nuns, and various groups from the Diocese of Shanghai attended the ceremony.

Promises from the new bishop

Joseph Shen Bin expressed he will continue to carry forward the fine tradition of patriotism and love of the Catholic Church (“Love Your Country and Love Your Religion”) in Shanghai. He promised to adhere to the principle of “independence and self-governance” instructed by the Party and expressed his stance to adhere to the direction of “Sinicization of Catholicism in China.”

Translator’s Note: The slogan 爱国爱教 “Love Your Country and Love Your Religion” has been an official slogan emphasized by the Chinese Communist Party as part of its religious policies.

Thaddeus Ma Daqin

Since the death of Bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian in 2013, the bishop’s post of the Catholic Diocese of Shanghai, with 150,000 members, has been undecided for 10 years. The auxiliary bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin of the Diocese of Shanghai was regarded as the successor of Aloysius Jin Luxian, who was expected to lead the diocese. Thaddeus Ma Daqin stated at the 2012 ordination ceremony that he is the auxiliary bishop of the Shanghai diocese and will no longer hold any position in the Patriotic Catholic Association of China. He was subsequently placed under house arrest by the authorities.

The Holy See’s candidate for Shanghai

The Holy See hoped for Bishop Joseph Xing Wenzhi to lead the diocese of Shanghai. The ordination of Xing Wenzhi as an auxiliary bishop was recognized by both the Holy See and the Chinese government. He was the most likely candidate to become the head Bishop of the Diocese of Shanghai. However, Joseph Xing Wenzhi refused to adhere to the arrangement of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association controlled by the government and did not attend the ordination ceremony of Bishop Joseph Liu Xinhong of Anhui diocese, who was not recognized by the Holy See, which angered the government.

Unfavorable candidates

Neither of the two auxiliary bishops of the Shanghai diocese favored by the Holy See has been approved by the Chinese side. However, the appointment this time was not approved by Pope Francis, which was a violation of the provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops signed by China and the Holy See.

The Vatican’s reaction

The Vatican News reported on April 4 that the director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, stated in a communication to journalists that “The Holy See had been informed a few days ago of the decision of the Chinese authorities” to transfer the bishop and “learned from the media of the installation this morning.” He had no other comments from the Holy See.

The China-Vatican agreement

After 1949, the government of the People’s Republic of China and the Holy See have been appointing bishops independently, and only a very small number of bishops have been recognized by both parties, causing the formation of the so-called “public” and “underground” churches. In 2018, the Holy See and the Chinese government signed an agreement outlining procedures to ensure that Catholic bishops are selected by the Chinese Catholic community and approved by the Pope prior to their ordination and installation. The agreement was renewed in 2020 and again in 2022.

Previous violations

China blatantly ignored the authority of the Vatican Pope for a second time, violating their agreement by appointing bishops without permission. In a public statement on November 24 of last year, one month after the latest renewal, the Holy See “noted with surprise and regret” that the Chinese government had violated the agreement when it appointed John Peng Weizhao, bishop of the diocese of Yujiang, as an auxiliary bishop of Jiangxi province.

~Gao Zhensai, Special Correspondent of ChinaAid

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China unilaterally appoints Shanghai Bishop, breaking Vatican agreement

shanghai, pudong, the bund-2129813.jpg

(Shanghai, China) China unilaterally appointed Bishop Joseph Shen Bin of the Diocese of Haimen to a new appointment in Shanghai. This is a clear violation of the China-Vatican agreement on the appointment of bishops.

The installation ceremony

According to the Guangqi News Agency of the Shanghai Diocese, on April 4, the St. Ignatius Cathedral (Xujiahui Catholic Church) of the Shanghai Diocese held a bishop installation ceremony. Father Ignatius Wu Jianlin, who is recognized by the official Catholic Church, presided over the ceremony. Father Joseph Yang Yu, secretary-general of the government-approved Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC), read the letter of appointment of Bishop Joseph Shen Bin of Haimen diocese to the head Bishop of Shanghai diocese. Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing presided over the ceremony and delivered some remarks. About 200 priests, nuns, and various groups from the Diocese of Shanghai attended the ceremony.

Promises from the new bishop

Joseph Shen Bin expressed he will continue to carry forward the fine tradition of patriotism and love of the Catholic Church (“Love Your Country and Love Your Religion”) in Shanghai. He promised to adhere to the principle of “independence and self-governance” instructed by the Party and expressed his stance to adhere to the direction of “Sinicization of Catholicism in China.”

Translator’s Note: The slogan 爱国爱教 “Love Your Country and Love Your Religion” has been an official slogan emphasized by the Chinese Communist Party as part of its religious policies.

Thaddeus Ma Daqin

Since the death of Bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian in 2013, the bishop’s post of the Catholic Diocese of Shanghai, with 150,000 members, has been undecided for 10 years. The auxiliary bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin of the Diocese of Shanghai was regarded as the successor of Aloysius Jin Luxian, who was expected to lead the diocese. Thaddeus Ma Daqin stated at the 2012 ordination ceremony that he is the auxiliary bishop of the Shanghai diocese and will no longer hold any position in the Patriotic Catholic Association of China. He was subsequently placed under house arrest by the authorities.

The Holy See’s candidate for Shanghai

The Holy See hoped for Bishop Joseph Xing Wenzhi to lead the diocese of Shanghai. The ordination of Xing Wenzhi as an auxiliary bishop was recognized by both the Holy See and the Chinese government. He was the most likely candidate to become the head Bishop of the Diocese of Shanghai. However, Joseph Xing Wenzhi refused to adhere to the arrangement of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association controlled by the government and did not attend the ordination ceremony of Bishop Joseph Liu Xinhong of Anhui diocese, who was not recognized by the Holy See, which angered the government.

Unfavorable candidates

Neither of the two auxiliary bishops of the Shanghai diocese favored by the Holy See has been approved by the Chinese side. However, the appointment this time was not approved by Pope Francis, which was a violation of the provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops signed by China and the Holy See.

The Vatican’s reaction

The Vatican News reported on April 4 that the director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, stated in a communication to journalists that “The Holy See had been informed a few days ago of the decision of the Chinese authorities” to transfer the bishop and “learned from the media of the installation this morning.” He had no other comments from the Holy See.

The China-Vatican agreement

After 1949, the government of the People’s Republic of China and the Holy See have been appointing bishops independently, and only a very small number of bishops have been recognized by both parties, causing the formation of the so-called “public” and “underground” churches. In 2018, the Holy See and the Chinese government signed an agreement outlining procedures to ensure that Catholic bishops are selected by the Chinese Catholic community and approved by the Pope prior to their ordination and installation. The agreement was renewed in 2020 and again in 2022.

Previous violations

China blatantly ignored the authority of the Vatican Pope for a second time, violating their agreement by appointing bishops without permission. In a public statement on November 24 of last year, one month after the latest renewal, the Holy See “noted with surprise and regret” that the Chinese government had violated the agreement when it appointed John Peng Weizhao, bishop of the diocese of Yujiang, as an auxiliary bishop of Jiangxi province.

~Gao Zhensai, Special Correspondent of ChinaAid

News
Read more ChinaAid stories
Click Here
Write
Send encouraging letters to prisoners
Click Here
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