Posted on 04/12/2002 2:23:59 PM PDT by nickcarraway
CHINA P. R.
Police demolish church under construction in Hebei
Rome (Fides) – On April 11 police demolished a Catholic church in Xiao Zhao village in the province of Hebei, 200 kilometers south of Beijing. Xiao Zhao village is in the underground diocese of Zhen Ding. The local Catholics, who had obtained the land and regular building permit for the church from the local authorities, fear that the demolition orders may have come from higher authorities.
Early yesterday morning, a security force of about 2000 men entered the village. Military tanks pushed down the semi-finished walls of the building and the foundations were destroyed with explosives. The local Catholic community, about 700 people, could do nothing to stop the demolition. Eyewitnesses say they simply stood and watched, "crying and praying".
The construction of the church, work began three months ago, had been completed by about one third and already cost about US$ 60,000 donated by various benefactors. The Bishop of Zhen Ding, underground Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo, aged 66, is a very dedicated man who is confined to house arrest periodically. Most recently on March 21 he was arrested and questioned by the police who forbade him to celebrate public religious services for Holy Week and Easter.
Two years ago humanitarian organisations denounced China for destroying more than 1,500 temples and churches in Zhejiang region, south east China. The Chinese government bans people from praying in places of worship not officially registered with its Religious Affairs Bureau. (Fides 12/4/2002)
Same thing for fifty plus years in Red China.
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