News Update
2007

Ordination of Bishops

September 8 Bishop Paul Xiao Zejiang, age 40, ordained Coadjutor Bishop of Guiyang, Guizhou, with the approval of both the Holy See and the Chinese Catholic Bishops College (the first ordination after the publication of the Pope's Letter).
September 21 Bishop Li Shan, age 42, ordained bishop of Beijing, with the approval of both the Holy See and the Chinese Catholic Bishops College.
November 30 Bishop Lu Shouwang, age 41, ordained bishop of Yichang, Hubei,  with the approval of both the Holy See and the Chinese Catholic Bishops College.
December 4 Bp. Joseph Gan Junqiu, 43, ordained bishop of Guangzhou, Guangdong, with the approval of both the Holy See and the Chinese Catholic Bishops College.
December 21 Bishop Joseph Li Jing, 40, as coadjutor bishop of Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,  with the approval of both the Holy See and the Chinese Catholic Bishops College.

 

Death of Bishops

January 4 Bishop Peter Paul Li Panshi (1913-2007), bishop of Jiangmen, Guangdong, died on January 4, 2007.
January 7 Bishop Joseph Meng Ziwen / Jieren (1904 -2007), unofficial bishop of Nanning, Guangxi.
March 15  Bishop Bonaventure Luo Juan (1916-2007), bishop of Shuozhou, Shanxi.
April 20 Bishop Michael Fu Tieshan, bishop of Beijing, president of the CCPA, acting president of the CBC and vice chairperson of the National People's Congress, died of lung cancer at age 76. He was born in 1931 and ordained a priest in 1956, and the Bishop of Beijing on December 21, 1979, without papal approval. His was the first episcopal ordination after the Cultural Revolution. A vocal supporter of the government, he held successively higher positions. On April 27, he was given an official funeral as a 'state leader and a loyal patriot'.
May 12 Bishop Bernardine Dong Guangqing (1916-2007), bishop of Wuhan, Hubei, died of cancer, at age 91. He was born in 1916 and ordained a bishop in 1958, one of the first two to be ordained in China without the approval of the Holy See.
July 13 Bishop Peter Zhao Zhendong (1920-2007), unofficial bishop of Xuanhua, Hebei, died on July 13, 2007, at age 87. He was born in 1920, and was ordained a priest on August 14, 1949. He was secretly ordained an auxiliary bishop in October 1989, and became bishop of Xuanhua on December 12, 1999.
August 20 Bishop Benedict Cai Xiufeng (1915-2007), bishop of Wuzhou, Guangxi, died  at age 92. He was born in 1915, ordained a priest in 1948, elected and ordained a bishop in 1993.
September 9 Bishop Joseph Han Dingxiang (1936-2007), unofficial bishop of Yongnian (Handan), Hebei, died  at age 71. Allegedly the cause of death was lung cancer, but nobody was present, his body was soon cremated and buried without religious rite, so suspicions of ill-treatment at the hands of the police linger. Born in 1936, he was ordained a priest in November 1986, and a bishop in September 1999.
September 23 Bishop John Baptist Liang Xisheng, unofficial bishop of Kaifeng, Henan, died of a brain embolism at age 84. Born in March 1923, he could not be ordained a priest until March 19, 1980, when 57 years old. In August 1989, he was secretly ordained as Archbishop of Kaifeng and Apostolic Administrator of Zhengzhou, Henan.
December 20 Bishop John Liu Dinghan, 90, retired bishop of Cangzhou (Xianxian), Hebei, died on December 20, 2007, after four month of illness.

 

General Information

January 6 The Institute for the Study of Christianity and Culture, a Church-run institute of the Beijing Diocese, launches its 'Sapientia Scholarship' to encourage research into Catholicism.
January 19-20 Benedict XVI called a special meeting of experts to deepen his knowledge of the situation of the Catholic Church in China, in order to issue an official letter to the Church in China and in view of fostering the normalization of diplomatic relations with China. This created great expectation, soliciting suggestions from different parties. The Chinese government's response, on January 23, was of appreciation for the Vatican's attitude for ¡§constructive and truthful dialogue.¡¨
January 22 A circular was issued by the State Council and the Central Committee of the CPC ordering an intensification of efforts to control fetus gender testing and sex-selective abortions, as well as to punish female infanticide, the ill-treatment of girls' mothers, etc., in order to counter the rising sex ratio imbalance. The statistical communiqué, in fact, issued on February 26, stated that, out of the total population of 1,314 million people, 677 million (51.5%) are male, and 637 million (48.5%) female.
January 28- February 21 A Scripture Study Program in the Holy Land was organized by the Catholic Biblical Federation of Germany for 15 priests from mainland China.
February 7 The 'China Daily' reported that the results of a poll of 4,500 people, conducted by the Shanghai-based East China Normal University, put the number of the religious believers at about 300 million, three times more than the 100 million official figure: 200 million are Buddhist, Taoist and cosmic religionists account for 66.1% of all believers. There are 40 million Christians (12% of believers). The reasons for the religious revival are: ¡§religion shows the true path of life¡¨, ¡§it helps cure illness, avoid disasters, and ensures peace of heart¡¨, it guides people to good behavior¡¨, etc. The survey also found that more young people have joined the ranks of the religious believers.
March 5-16 The 5th Session of the 10th National People¡¦s Congress was held in Beijing, with 2,889 delegates in attendance. Premier Wen Jiabao in his Government Work Report emphasized once again ¡§building a socialist harmonious society¡¨: ¡§We must insist on the people-first principle¡¨, he said, ¡§making the benefit of the masses the starting point and goal of our endeavors.¡¨ Other speakers underlined the need for a ¡§scientific approach to social and economic development¡¨, as well as ¡§creating a new socialist countryside.¡¨ Bishop Michael Fu, one of the vice presidents of the Congress, could not participate due to illness. This left only two other Catholic representatives, Bishop Ma Yinglin and Father Wang Bingzhang. Four bishops, one priest and two laymen took part to the session of the Chinese People¡¦s Political Consultative Conference, which was held at the same time.
March 12 The Pontifical Urban University hosted an international colloquium in Rome on ¡§The Catholic Church and Modern China¡¨. The 100 participants included Chinese students and priests studying in Europe.
March 17 Mgr. Joseph Wu Qinjing, unofficial bishop of Zhouzhi, near Xi'an, ordained in 2006, was taken away by government officials for ¡§an education class¡¨ and then disappeared. He is still kept in the custody and is not allowed to meet visitors.
March 18-19 A meeting of the all the leaders and secretaries of the Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) and the China Bishops' College (CBC) was held in the outskirts of Beijing, with 70 participants.
March 24 The Wenzhou diocese, Zhejiang, gathered 280 Catholic representatives form several parishes (priests, sisters and lay leaders) to plan the pastoral priorities for the 2007 year. Among the suggestions were: stimulate all the parishes in their evangelizing task, provide material for better celebrating Easter and Christmas, organize pilgrimages to Marian shrines especially during May and October, run catechetical course for youngsters and university students during summer vacation, start marriage preparation courses.
April 7-8 During the Easter celebrations, more than 80 catechumens were baptized in the nine churches opened in the Shenzhen SEZ. The total number of Catholics is more than 12,000.
April 12 Song Yun, editor of the Shijiazhuang-based ¡§Faith 10-daily¡¨ a catholic periodical, reported that at least 6,000 baptisms were administered at Easter in 41 major parishes. He estimated that the total number of Easter baptisms on the mainland exceeded 10,000, and that 80% of the newly baptized in the major cities have a tertiary education.
May 25 A recent official visit to South Korea of a nine-member delegation from five dioceses of Shanxi province, was reported. It was led by Bp. John Huo Cheng of Fenyang. The delegation visited several social service centers and educational institutions of the Korean Catholic Church.
June 27-28 A Symposium of Catholic representatives of the two Catholic bodies was held in Beijing to discuss the role of the Church in ¡§building an harmonious society¡¨, as well as to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the CCPA and to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of Bishop Zong Huaide, former President of the CCPA and CBC.
June 30 publication of the Letter of Pope Benedict XVI to the Catholics in China. The letter focuses on religious issues, the life and difficulties of the Catholic community in China today, providing solid theological basis and practical directives for reconciliation and communion. It is not political in nature. It generally received positive praise from all Catholics, with some bishops organizing clergy meetings to read it and discuss it, while the civil authorities showed a rather negative reaction. In Hong Kong a revised Chinese version of the Pope's Letter was published by Card. Joseph Zen in booklet form.
July 2-4 Thirty five formators of the seminaries of 16 Chinese provinces made a visit to Catholic institutions in Ningxia province.
July 10 According to the US-based monitoring group "China Aid Association", China has expelled more than 100 suspected foreign missionaries in the last several months as part of its campaign to prevent foreign Christians from engaging in missionary activities before the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
July 12 Bp. Joseph Wei Jingyi, unofficial bishop of Qiqihar, Helongjiang, issued a pastoral letter to encourage Catholics to read and study the Pope's Letter.
July 16 Democratic election of Fr. Joseph Li Shan as bishop of Beijing.
July 24 Three underground priests of Xiwanzi diocese, Hebei, were taken away, while they were hiding in a lay Catholic's house in Ximeng (Inner Mongolia): namely, Frs. Liang Aijun, 35, Wang Zhong, 41, and Gao Jinbao, 34.
July 24-25 Celebration of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association in Beijing. On July 24, meeting of Catholic representatives of the CCPA and CBC (ca. 500 participants, of whom 37 bishops): Ye Xiaowen, director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs in Beijing, and Liu Bainian, secretary-general of CCPA, gave speeches. Liu provided the following data: in 50 years, 170 bishops were elected and consecrated, 1800 priests have been ordained, 3000 Sisters trained, 12 major and 18 minor seminaries established, 70 convents opened, 200 people (priests, sisters and lay people) were sent abroad for further studies. A large number of books and religious articles have been produced and published¡K
July 25 Jia Qinglin, president of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu, and Liu Yandong, head of the United Front Department, welcomed the representatives in the People's Hall and delivered speeches to them.
August 15 Xuanhua diocese, Hebei, held a solemn celebration of the Feast of Assumption. One thousand Catholcis attended the Mass, with the Pope's Letter being presented at the Offertory.
August 24 Father Paul Jiang Surang (Sunian), underground chancellor of Wenzhou diocese, arrested on September 25, 2006, together with the vicar general Father Peter Shao Zhumin, after they returned from a pilgrimage in Europe (sentenced respectively to 11 and 9 months in prison), were released. The previous day, on the other hand, Bp. Jia Zhiguo, unofficial bishop of Zhengding, Hebei, was once again detained.
September 1 The Regulations for the setting up of Religious Educational Institutions, including the Seminaries, approved on December 25, 2006, came into effect.
September 6 The China Daily reported the need for the Catholic Church in China to speed up the process of selection and ordination of Bishops. It quoted Liu Bainian, as saying, ¡§There are 97 dioceses on mainland China, of which 40 are without bishop. Many of the current bishops are old, with 30 of them above 80. We have send 200 priests abroad for further studies and about 100 of them have already returned home.¡¨
September 24-28 Vietnamese Cardinal Pham Minh Man, bishop of Ho Chi Minh City, led a five-member delegation (2 other bishops and 3 priests) to mainland China in return for a visit to Vietnam by a delegation of Chinese high officials of China's State Administration for Religious Affairs in March. The delegates visited the Beijing-based headquarters of the Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China, as well as met Church leaders in Beijing (among whom the new bishop Li Shan) and in Shanghai. They also met with the Chinese state officials, including some from the foreign ministry's Department of European Affairs. Cardinal Man stated: ¡§From my meetings with Chinese state officials, I feel they hope the Church in Vietnam could help China and the Vatican understand each other's point of view."
October 3 Bishop John Liu Shigong of Jining, Inner Mongolia, blessed the new Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral. Designed by Fr. Joseph Wang Jun, incorporates Mongolian artistic elements, turning the church not only into a landmark for the diocese, but also an attraction for the city.
October 15-20 The 17th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party was held in Beijing with 2,235 delegates. It has elected a new 371-member Central Committee and a 127-member Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The Central Committee appointed a new Standing Committee, as well as a Politburo of nine members. The Congress passed a resolution to amend the Party Constitution, to incorporate into the charter, for the first time, guidelines for work related to ethnic and religious affairs, to assure the implementation of religious freedom, and the promotion of an active role for religious circles in advancing social and economic development.
October 19-29 Cardinal Keith M. P. O¡¦Brien, archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh archdiocese, Scotland, visited China at the invitation of the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA). He went first to Xi¡¦an, where he met Bishop Dang Minzhang and visited the major seminary. Then he went to Beijing, where he met representatives of SARA, and visited the headquarters of the CCPA and CBC, the national seminary, the tomb of Matteo Ricci, the Institute for the Study of Christianity and Culture, the Sapientia Press. He talked with Bishop Li Shan and other Catholic bishops of the two Catholic organizations. In these meetings he discussed issues related to the life of the Church, the development of the dioceses, the China-Vatican relations. In Shanghai he met Bishop Jin Luxian, one of his ¡§old friends¡¨, and visited the major seminary, the Marian shrine in Sheshan. He also visited some churches in Shanghai itself. On October 29, he went to Hong Kong where he met Card. Joseph Zen. On the following day he returned to Scotland. In an article he wrote upon his return, entitled China -- Some Thoughts on the Way Ahead, Cardinal O'Brien expressed his concern about the future of spiritual values in China, but at the same time, he noticed a strong desire to build unity within the Church.
October 24 Chinese Catholics have expressed pride at the successful launch of China's first moon-orbiting satellite, named Chang-e, at Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan. China thus joins the ranks of the Soviet Union, the United States and Japan in space. In Xichang, Father Lei Jiapei, the diocesan administrator, led Catholics at the morning Mass to pray for a successful launch. The Catholics thought that the satellite launch provided a good opportunity to view the wonders of God¡¦s creation.
November 23 Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong, attended the consistory in Rome to induct 23 new cardinals into the College of cardinals. He thanked Pope Benedict XVI for his letter to the Catholics of China. He told his fellow Cardinals that almost all Chinese Catholics and most of their bishops are now in communion with Rome. ¡§Chinese Catholics share a communion of hearts waiting for better times,¡¨ Cardinal Zen said.
November 26 ¡VDecember 8 Visit to Belgium of 5 young Catholic bishops (ordained in 2006 and 2007) and 5 priests who hold leading diocesan posts, at the invitation of the Ferdinand Verbiest Foundation. The purpose of their visit was to ¡§learn about diocesan management, pastoral work and community life.¡¨
December 7 270 Protestant Christians were arrested and 150 detained in Hedeng district, Linyi city, Shandong, for ¡§illegal religious activities.¡¨
December 14 release of Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo, of Zhengding, Hebei, from detention (since August 23), his second one during the year (from June 5 to 22).
December 17-19 Meeting of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CCP, with a speech of President Hu Jintau on rural issues, corruption and the role of Religion. On 18 December the politburo of the Communist Party of China held a plenary collective study session on religion. It attempted to overcome the traditionally anti-religious stand of its official ideology. During the meeting the President praised the role of religions in building up an ¡§harmonious society¡¨ and called on the Party to pay more attention to religion's positive contributions. Significant was the fact that in addition to Mu Zhongjian, an expert on Confucianism from the Central University of Nationalities, Prof Zhuo Xinping, a specialist in Christianity from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences was invited to speak to the session.
December 24 Bishop Louis Jin Luxian of Shanghai issued a Pastoral Letter, which dealt with the coming celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Catholic presence in Shanghai. He thanked Pope Benedict XVI for having suggested the Marian Shrine of Sheshan as a special place of pilgrimage. He invited the faithful ¡§not to forget the missionaries¡¨ and to follow their example in increasing the evangelization efforts.