‘Undergound’ bishop dies in China

(March 11, 2011) An "underground" bishop in China faithful to the Pope of Rome died on Ash Wednesday, at the parish church of the town where decades ago he endured a forced labour sentence. Bishop Andrew Hao Jinli of Xiwanzi, in the northern Hebei province, died at Gonghui village church at the age of 95. He had just received the anointing of the sick. Bishop Hao had been in poor health and was confined to a wheelchair for years. Police have blocked the roads leading to the village so that the faithful cannot pay their last respects. In China, the government allows religious practice only to members of the government-recognized Catholic Patriotic Association, that does not recognize the Pope. According to sources cited by UCANews, Bishop Hao's health had deteriorated last month, but police did not allow him to be taken to the hospital. Bishop Andrew Hao Jinli was born in 1916 and ordained in 1943. His two brothers were also priests. Fifteen years later, he was imprisoned for his faith, receiving a 10-year sentence. Then he was sent to Gonghui for "reform-through-labor." Upon his release in 1981, he returned to serve as a parish priest. He was clandestinely ordained as a bishop three years later.Zenit - ‘Undergound’ bishop dies in China