(July 09, 2010) Chinese Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding, who was arrested and
imprisoned in March 2009, was released by the authorities Wednesday. The prelate
was arrested on the first day of a three-day meeting in the Vatican of a commission
established by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 to study the most important issues of the
life of the Church in China. The abduction was seen as an affront to the efforts of
that commission. Bishop Jia, 75, is a member of the "underground" Church but has worked
for reconciliation of the Church in China, where the government permits religious
practice only with recognized personnel and in places registered with the Religious
Affairs Office and under the control of the Patriotic Association. Bishop Jia has
been repeatedly refusing to become part of the Patriotic Association. Instead, he
has been attempting to collaborate with Bishop Jang Taoran of Shijiazhuang, a member
of the national Church recently reconciled with Rome, on a joint pastoral plan for
the Hebei region where they are both stationed. Yet the authorities attempted to end
this collaboration, and this latest arrest was Bishop Jia's 13th since 2004. Soon
after his release, Bishop Jia celebrated a Mass at the cathedral where he serves.
He made a point of declaring that he did not join the Patriotic Association during
his imprisonment, nor did he accept the authority of the government-approved bishops'
conference. Two other bishops of Hebei are still missing. 76 year old Bishop James
Su Zhimin, disappeared in 1996 and 87 year old Bishop Cosmas Shi Enxiang disappeared
in 2001.