Bishop: Positive changes evident between China's church communities

Published: 2006-07-28

SEOUL, South Korea (CNS) -- Hong Kong Auxiliary Bishop John Tong Hon said positive changes are already evident in relations between China's open and underground Catholic communities, but China should stop ordaining bishops illicitly. "If the Chinese government wants to hold dialogue with the Holy See, they should" not interfere with the church with illegitimate ordinations, Bishop Tong told 35 bishops, priests, religious and laypeople at a July 18-20 seminar just south of Seoul. His remarks were reported by UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. The seminar, "The Search for Christian Unity: Where We Stand Today," was organized by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences. The church in China ordained two bishops without papal approval earlier this year: Father Joseph Ma Yinglin of Kunming Diocese, April 30, and Father Joseph Liu Xinhong of Anhui Diocese, May 3.

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