Hong Kong rallies behind Shanghai bishop

It was reported that an investigation, by the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China, into alleged violations related to the licit ordination of  auxiliary Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin, for Shanghai, has concluded 

 

The bishop, who has Vatican recognition, gave up his positions in the government Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China following his ordination on July 7 (Sunday Examiner, July 15 and 22). Reports say he has since been confined to the compound of Sheshan seminary and prohibited from assuming his duties as bishop.

Sheshan Seminary in Shanghai

On July 16, around 300 people gathered in front of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong’s Western District to recite the rosary, while an estimated 1,000 crowded into St Margaret’s Church, Happy Valley, for a Mass in support of Bishop Thaddeus Ma. 

Father Franco Mella, of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, a rights advocate who has worked with the poor on the mainland for decades, said Bishop Ma’s actions could have an important impact on Catholics in China. “Bishop Ma is probably the first bishop to openly say that he wants more freedom and this will definitely influence Christians in China to express their wishes courageously,” he said.

 An estimated 1,000 crowded into St Margaret’s Church, Happy Valley, 

for a Mass in support of Bishop Thaddeus Ma.

The Mass was concelebrated by the former bishop of Hong Kong, Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun, along with about 20 other priests. “Some brothers in China have submitted themselves to be slaves, while some others have become corrupted as they fail to withstand temptation,” said Cardinal Zen. He asked the congregation to “pray for the ones who fell down to rise, the hesitating ones to be strong and the strong ones to hold on right through to the end.”

- Courtesy: Sunday Examiner, July 22