Bishop Cui Tai: 16 Years of Arrests and Releases, Faithful Call for an End to Illegal Detention [China]

AsiaNews ^ | 2/13/23 | Sheng Xiong

[marshmallow]

Detained without grounds, there has been no news of him since spring 2021. The faithful of Xuanhua diocese miss their pastor. Government criticised for using coercive and inhuman means against sick clergymen. The authorities blindly adopt political and coercive pressure.

Beijing (AsiaNews) - Since 2007, for almost 16 years, Bishop Augustine Cui Tai of the diocese of Xuanhua (Hebei) has been illegally detained by the authorities without any grounds or legal procedure.

In recent years, the authorities granted the bishop short visits to his elderly relatives every Spring Festival (Lunar New Year) or Mid-Autumn. Since the cleric was taken away in spring 2021, however, he has not returned home, and the faithful have no way of knowing anything about his welfare or whereabouts.

Bishop Cui, 71, is recognised by the Holy See, but not by the Chinese government.

In early 2013, after consultation and careful verification by the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI approved and appointed Msgr Cui as auxiliary bishop of the Xuanhua diocese. The following April he was ordained coadjutor bishop, but then Bishop Thomas (Cathedral) Zhao Kexun, the ordinary bishop, entrusted him with full authority to run the diocese.

In 2018, Bishop Zhao passed away in his hiding place at the age of 94 due to old age and physical decline. According to canon law, Bishop Cui automatically became ordinary bishop of the diocese.

AsiaNews sources note that this year coincides with the 10th anniversary of Msgr Cui's ordination. The faithful of the diocese miss the pastor who is in prison and, although they cannot hear from the bishop, they sincerely pray every day for his salvation, hoping that he will return among them as soon as possible.