Death of elderly priest illustrates mingling of Chinese churches

Published: 2004-01-21

HONG KONG (CNS) -- The death of an elderly Chinese priest illustrates the mingling of mainland China's government-approved and underground church communities. Father Francis Wang Yijun, who died Jan. 16 at age 86, received papal recognition shortly before his death, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. Father Wang, who left the underground church for the government-approved church in his last years, reportedly cried upon receiving an apostolic blessing from Pope John Paul II congratulating him on the 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination, UCA News reported. In the late 1950s, the communist-ruled Chinese government set up the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which spurned Vatican ties. An underground Catholic Church continued its existence, and its members faced persecution from the Chinese government. In recent years, however, up to two-thirds of the government-approved bishops have reconciled with the Vatican, and at many parishes there has been a mingling of the two "churches."

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