Underground bishop says Vatican statement is right, pray for China

(December 20, 2010) In China, an underground bishop faithful to the Pope, has said that the Vatican has been right in denouncing the government-backed Church, called the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, that recently elected new leaders, including a prelate unrecognized by the Vatican to head its bishops' council. In a statement on Friday, the Vatican sharply condemned the Dec. 7-9 meeting in Beijing of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association in Beijing, saying its “unacceptable and hostile acts” have damaged the dialogue and “the climate of trust” between the Holy See and the Beijing government. The following day, Bishop Wei Jingyi of Qiqihar (Northeast China) issued a pastoral letter, expressing his support for the Vatican statement and urging his faithful to pray more for the Church in China which he said was going through “a particularly difficult time", as expressed by the Pope on December 1. Bishop Wei cited the illicit episcopal ordination of Fr. Joseph Guo Jincai in Chengde last month, saying it “seriously wounded the Church and cast a wound in the Body of Christ.” Bishop Jingyi also expressed sympathy and concern for those who were forced to take part in the illicit ordination and the Beijing assembly.