VATICAN - CHINA CONTROVERSY

The Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, in its news outlet, Asia News, has reported that 
two Chinese bishops to stand aside to make way for illicitly ordained, Chinese government-backed counterparts.

A Vatican delegation reportedly 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.

Eighty-eight year-old Bishop Zhuang received a letter last 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.

The news outlet has stated that 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, has confirmed the situation regarding Bishop Zhuang.

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.  Sources are quoted as saying that signing a document to accept demotion was one of the conditions authorities put to him before releasing him.

If true, these developments are disturbing indeed and threaten to split the Church in China.

Thus far, the Vatican has not commented on the story.  

We shall wait to see the impact this may have on future Vatican-China relations.