Catholics in central China pray for bishop missing since mid-March

Published: 2007-04-16

HONG KONG (CNS) -- Catholics of Zhouzhi, in central China's Shaanxi province, prayed for the safety of their missing bishop during Easter week. Local church sources told UCA News, an Asian church news agency, that the freedom of Bishop Joseph Wu Qinjing of Zhouzhi had been restricted since government officials sent him to "a learning class for about three days" March 18. Bishop Wu, who took the name Martin Wu while working on his master's degree in pastoral theology from St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn., and his master's in spiritual direction from Fordham University in New York, is only recognized as a priest by the Chinese government. One local source, who asked not to be named, said Catholics in the diocese had thought the government's action was aimed at preventing the bishop from celebrating the feast of his patron, St. Joseph, March 19, as well as marking the third anniversary of the death of a priest the next day. "But until today, the bishop is still out of reach," the source told UCA News April 13, adding that many of the Catholics were worried about the prelate's safety.

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