Chinese state church ordains Vatican-approved bishop

Chinese state church ordains Vatican-approved bishop

Beijing, Dec 24, 2007 / 10:32 am (CNA).- On Friday the state-recognized Catholic Patriotic Association ordained a bishop with the approval of the Vatican, the Agence France-Presse reports.

Father Joseph Li Jing, 40, was ordained bishop of the northern China diocese of Ningxia, a Muslim-dominated region.  The ordination took place at Yinchuan Cathedral before 2,000 congregants.

Though the Holy See had given approval for Bishop Li’s ordination three years ago, the state church only approved his election last month.  Bishop Li is the third Vatican-approved bishop to be ordained this month by the government-recognized church.

The Church in China is split between the government-recognized Catholic Patriotic Association and the “underground” Church.  While the official church has close to five million followers, perhaps as many as 10 million are “underground” Catholics and face police and government harassment. 

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3 Comments

  1. EDG says:

    When I was in Rome last year, I was impressed by the number of Chinese priests and nuns I saw all over the place. I don\’t know where they came from, what their status was, etc., but personally, I think the Chinese are going to be a major factor in the Church, probably even within the next decade or so. They are very drawn to the philosophical and intellectual richness of Christianity, and I think the freeing of the classical Latin Rite mass will attract them because that Mass is laden with meaning and stunningly profound in its philosophy and theology. It is also appropriate to the Chinese mindset in its sense of heiratic drama.

  2. Franciscus says:

    The Chinese are truly going to be a major factor in the Church. They are growing, and growing fast. Perhaps it is their steadfast faith in the face of a Communist persecution still going on today?

    Anyway, congratulations to Bp. Li. Let us hope is is a loyal, orthodox, Catholic shepherd.

  3. Rob says:

    It’s pathetic that Pope Benedict’s not supporting the underground Catholic church. While the underground clergy and faithful have risked their lives to follow the Catholic church, Benedict seems happy to make nice with the Chinese government and the Catholic Patriotic Association, which exists to exercise state control over Chinese Catholics. Pius XII condemned the CPA with good reason and it’s sad that Pope Benedict, like JP II, didn’t have the courage to do the same.

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