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
