Religion: April 2006 Archives

BBC News
April 30, 2006

The state-controlled Catholic church in China has ignored the Vatican's wishes and consecrated a new bishop.

Father Ma Yingling was consecrated as bishop of Kunming at a ceremony in the southwestern Yunnan province on Sunday.

The Vatican had called for a delay in the appointment over concerns the bishop is inexperienced and too closely aligned with China's communist regime.

The Chinese Church does not recognise the Vatican's power to appoint bishops, causing tension between the two sides.

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BBC News
April 29, 2006

The Vatican has asked China's state-controlled Catholic Church to halt the ordination of a bishop who has not been approved by Pope Benedict XVI.

Father Ma Yingling is to be ordained as bishop of Kunming on Sunday.

The Chinese Church does not recognise the Vatican's right to name bishops, although recent appointments have been made with the agreement of both sides.

The request to postpone the ordination was made by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen.

"Trying to force the clergymen to carry out the ordination ceremony before the (Roman Catholic) Church's approval would be deliberately wrecking China-Vatican negotiations," he told Hong Kong radio.

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