Holy See’s “pain” over another illegal Chinese bishop’s ordination

(July 15, 2011) The Holy See’s spokesman on Thursday denounced yet another ordination of a bishop in China in defiance of the Pope’s authority, saying it caused “pain and concern” because it is “against the unity of the Universal Church.” Father Joseph Huang Bingzhang was consecrated bishop at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Shantou, in southern China’s Guangdong province, according to the government-sponsored Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which runs China’s Catholic churches. ``The position and feelings of the Holy See and the pope have already been expressed in previous recent circumstances,”“ Holy See spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi said when asked about the third such ordination in eight months. He was referring to Holy See’s statement released earlier on July 4, which condemned and declared illegal the June 29 ordination of Father Paul Lei Shiyin as bishop of Leshan, as it had no papal approval. Speaking to reporters on July 4, Father Lombardi explained that the language of the Vatican communiqué left little doubt that Bishop Lei had incurred excommunication, as foreseen by canon law. The Holy See has said the consecrating bishops face the same penalty, depending on whether they participated freely or were forced.. Beijing severed ties with the Holy See in 1951 after the Communist Party took power and set up its own church outside the Pope’s authority called the Chinese Patriotic Association. Faithful on the mainland are allowed to worship only with the state-sanctioned church, which recognizes the pope as a spiritual leader but rejects his authority to appoint priests and bishops. A thriving underground following remains loyal to the Vatican.