(June 10, 2010) The only Catholic church in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, was destroyed
overnight Monday and the priest and lay leader detained by police. The demolition
is believed to have been carried out pursuant to a court order. Parishioners today
set up camp near the ruins to try to prevent any new construction on the site. They
had arrived for morning Mass on June 8 to a pile of rubble littered with pieces of
the altar and five-meter cross. Church sources said that about 100 people arrived
around midnight on June 7 to demolish the Dongsheng Church belonging to the open Catholic
community. Local pastor Father Gao En and lay leader Yang Yizhi were woken by the
noise and tried to stop the destruction but were taken away in handcuffs. They were
returned to the parish after being detained for more than 20 hours at the police station.
The sources said the church had previously received a demolition notice. Newly ordained
Hohhot Bishop Paul Meng Qinglu sent two priests to Ordos to investigate the incident.
They are negotiating with local officials for compensation, the sources said. The
150-square-meter church, which served a community of about 1,000 Catholics, was legally
registered in May 2009. However, the local government recently demanded the demolition
of the church to make way for a new road. Church leaders had talked with the government
several times without success.