Friday, April 9, 2010

Chinese bishop under house arrest for refusing to concelebrate with government-appointed bishop


From Catholic Culture-

A Chinese bishop is under house arrest because he objected to concelebrating Mass with an excommunicated prelate.

Bishop Matthias Du Jiang of Bameng, in Mongolia, has been serving the underground Church for 6 years after his episcopal consecration-- which was done in secret, without approval from the state-controlled Catholic Patriotic Association. He was finally recognized by the government, with installation services today. But he was promptly placed under house arrest because he balked at officials' order to concelebrate the Eucharistic liturgy with Bishop Joseph Ma Yinglin. Bishop Ma Yinglin was excommunicated in 2006 when he participated in an episcopal ordination ceremony without Vatican approval.

Bishop Du was compelled to go through with the ceremony, but announced to the congregation that he was concelebrating against his will. He was quickly restricted to his residence.

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=5960

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