Chinese Catholic worshippers wait to receive Communion at the Palm Sunday Mass during the Easter Holy Week at an 'underground' church near Shijiazhuang, Hebei province
Posted on 01/23/2018 2:00:11 PM PST by ebb tide
Chinese Catholic worshippers wait to receive Communion at the Palm Sunday Mass during the Easter Holy Week at an 'underground' church near Shijiazhuang, Hebei province
A Vatican delegation reportedly asked two bishops to stand down as part of a deal with Chinese authorities
The Holy See has reportedly asked two Chinese bishops to stand aside to make way for illicitly ordained, Chinese government-backed counterparts.
A Vatican delegation asked Bishop Peter Zhuang of Shantou and Bishop Jospeh Guo Xijin of Mindong to retire or accept demotion in order to smooth relations with the Chinese government.
Asia News, the outlet of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, reports that 88-year-old Bishop Zhuang received a letter dated 26 October asking him to resign to make way for the government-backed Bishop Huang Bingzhang.
Bishop Huang was excommunicated in 2011 after being consecrated without Vatican approval. He is also a member of the National People’s Congress, the Chinese parliament.
Asia News reports that Bishop Zhuang was escorted to Beijing, where he met Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, former president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, who told him to retire – but with the proviso that he could nominate three priests, one of whom Bishop Huang would appoint as his vicar general.
Sources said Bishop Zhuang burst into tears on hearing the demand, adding that “it was meaningless to appoint a vicar general, who is still a priest that Bishop Huang could remove him anytime.”
Cardinal Joseph Zen, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, confirmed the situation regarding Bishop Zhuang, Asia News says.
The delegation then travelled south to Fujian province where they asked Bishop Joseph Guo Xijin on Mindong, who belongs to the underground Church, to accept demotion to coadjutor bishop under the government-backed Vincent Zhan Silu.
Bishop Guo went missing for some time last year after authorities forced him to pay a visit to the religious affairs bureau in Fuan. His absence prevented him from celebrating the diocesan Chrism Mass.
A source said that signing a document to accept demotion was one of the conditions authorities put to him before releasing him.
An underground priest in Mindong said Catholics would feel conflicted over the move. “We of course feel hard to accept but do we have the right to oppose the Vatican?” He said that he may leave the priesthood over the Vatican’s decision.
Francis is a real piece of work.
Dude, y’all are falling apart.
Just imagine how different the world would be had John Paul II handled matters like that with the Soviets.
Somebody needs to accelerate the meeting between this a$$hat and his Maker.
Appalling, the Pope conceding to the ChiComs what they want. But then, he does favor the Communists. What is next, replacing the Virgin Mary with Lenin’s or Mao’s wife?
This is so disheartening. don’t even know where to start, there is so much wrong with this...
Unbelievable...
This is so disheartening. don’t even know where to start, there is so much wrong with this...
= = =
It’s so bad it isn’t even wrong.
Dude, we’re not alone. Trust me.
It is not as if the Church is not prepared for chastisement and a purification. We’re on God’s clock, after all, and there is no time in Heaven. Don’t sweat it on our account. We got this. But, thanks for playing.
I really pray our next pope is actually Catholic.
A heart breaking betrayal by the usual suspects.
Our last Pope was Catholic, and we see how that turned out.
I never thought I’d see the Catholic Church go down, but this pope is gonna be the one that pulls it off. Some legacy.
Pray, fast, prepare to take up the Cross.
The job is yours, if you want it.
On the positive side, Frankie is helping all those who hate his Church the courage to show their faces.
That is a good thing.
No, the underground Bishops and Catholic Church in China are the REAL ones.
Christ told Peter that “The gates of hell will not prevail against it.”
We are in that battle right now.
Pray the Rosary.
You know, when this Pope sides with totalitarians and butchers, it is so glaringly evil that one can assume the rest of his actions are also evil.
Global warming, illegal immigration favoring, the list goes on.
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