Thousands attend funeral of Chinese Bishop Zheng, 90

Published: 2006-07-27

HONG KONG (CNS) -- Thousands of Catholics bid farewell to Bishop Augustine Zheng Shouduo of Xinjiang July 25. After walking with his body in a funeral procession through Xinjiang's main streets to the suburban Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, they attended a funeral Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph Li Hongguang, 80, Bishop Zheng's former coadjutor, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. Many other bishops and priests concelebrated the funeral Mass. Several government officials attended the service before the bishop was buried at a cemetery near the church. Bishop Zheng, who remained loyal to the Vatican but was approved by the government, died of natural causes July 16 at the age of 90. Bishop Zheng lived most of his life in Poli, a Catholic village in a suburb of Xinjiang, and spent his final years at the rectory of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church there.

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