Msgr. Lucas Li Jingfeng has Died. The Memory of a Young Catholic

AsiaNews ^ | 11/17/17 | Piccolo agnello del Signore

[marshmallow]

He was perhaps the only bishop who was not a member of the Patriotic Association, although he was recognized by the government. In 2005 he was invited to the Synod on the Eucharist, but the government did not allow him to attend. He spent over 20 years in forced labor camps. His praise of the Letter from Benedict XVI to Chinese Catholics. Since the beginning of the year his health had deteriorated. Funeral will be held on 25 November.

Fengxiang (AsiaNews) - Bishop Lucas Li Jingfeng, bishop of Fengxiang (Shaanxi) died this morning at 7.20 am at the age of 95. He had been sick for a long time. Bishop Li was famous in China because he was the only bishop of the underground community to join the official Church without becoming a member of the Patriotic Association. He was also famous in the Vatican: in 2005 he - along with three other prelates - had been invited to participate in the Synod on the Eucharist. The government did not give him permission to leave China. On the occasion of the 2012 Synod of New Evangelization, he wrote to the fathers gathered at the Synod, describing how the faith of Chinese Catholics would "console the pope" because "our Church is faithful despite 50 years of persecution".

Msgr Li was born in 1922 in Gaoling County (Shaanxi) into a deeply Catholic family. Of the eight children, all expect one chose religious life. He became a priest in 1947 and covered various duties in the diocese. In 1959 he was arrested and sentenced to forced labor, from which he was released only in 1980. On 25 April of the same year he was ordained auxiliary bishop of Fengxiang by Msgr. Zhou Weidao. In 1983 he became an ordinary bishop of Fengxiang.

[LouieFisk]

It’s a hard road to be a Christian in China. I’m reminded of the life of Watchman Nee:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchman_Nee#Persecution_and_imprisonment

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.