Vatican expresses dismay over ongoing arrests of bishops in China

Published: 2004-06-23

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican expressed dismay over the ongoing detention of Catholic bishops in China. Joaquin Navarro-Valls, head of the Vatican press office, said in a June 23 statement that there was no official word on the fate of Bishop Peter Zhao Zhendong of Xuanhua, 84, who was arrested May 27. The bishop, a seminarian and layman were taken to an undisclosed location in a rural area, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. UCA News reported that a source suggested the bishop had been released and had been free to celebrate Mass with the seminarian every day during their two weeks of detention. Meanwhile, the Vatican confirmed reports that Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding was free after five days of detainment.

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