07/12/2011
Beijing defends illegal ordinations
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A government spokesman said “Patriotic Catholics do not recognise the Pope’s administrative authority. This shows religious freedom does exist in China”vatican insider staff
rome The Chinese patriotic Catholic Association does not recognise the Pope’s administrative authority. This, according to Spanish news agency Efe, was the declaration made by Hong Lei, a spokesman for Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a press conference which took place today.
Hong Lei defended ordinations of bishops that have taken place recently without consensus from the Vatican, explaining that the Chinese patriotic Catholic Association, acts in accordance with decades of tradition and with the principle of independence and home rule”.
Hong Lei added that when the Association elects and ordains bishops, it exercises religious freedom. “This – he observed – demonstrates that religious freedom does exist in China. In this way we ensure the growth of Catholicism in China and any criticism or accusation has no basis”. The Spanish agency reported that when asked about the arrest and disappearance of four bishops, the official replied tersely: “I haven’t had any news”.
Meanwhile, a Hong Kong newspaper attributes the confirmation of the intentions to ordain Huang Bingzhang as the new bishop of Canton on July 14, to the patriotic Association. 7 missing bishops including the 4 already mentioned are supposed to be attending the ceremony. Liu Bainian, honorary President of the Association declared: “We do not know how the Vatican will react to the appointment of Huang and of the other 40 bishops that are yet to be ordained in order to spread the Gospel throughout China. Let us hope it will agree to these.” “These bishops are spiritually loyal to the Pope but when it comes to politics they are on China’s side” Liu Bainian commented.
In the meantime, today, the Vatican Radio wrote: “Victims to strong pressure to be present at an illegal Episcopal ordination. There are some bishops, particularly from the region of Guangdong, who are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church whom - according to Chinese news – the authorities wish to pressure into attending an Episcopal ordination due to take place on 14 July, after bishops refused to participate. The authorities’ decision has brought about a wave of solidarity from priests and local Catholics, who have sided with their bishops in resistance. This latest occurrence takes us back to the recent illegitimate Episcopal ordination of Paul Lei Shiyin, of the diocese of Leshan, which was celebrated last 29 June. In a Declaration published on 4 July, the Holy See defined the ordination as illegitimate and a source of division for the Church and spoke of how the news had aroused a great sense of bitterness in Benedict XVI, who – the note concluded – had wanted to reach out to “China’s beloved faithful, with a message of encouragement and hope, inviting them to pray and to stay united”.
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