Catholic lay leader says China will continue to elect, ordain bishops

Published: 2007-07-05

HONG KONG (CNS) -- A Catholic lay leader from Beijing said China will continue to "self-elect and self-ordain" bishops. "We ordain bishops only for the sake of evangelization in the mainland. Nobody can stop us," said Anthony Liu Bainian, vice chairman of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which acts as a liaison between the Chinese government and Catholic churches that have registered with the government. Liu told the Asian church news agency UCA News July 3 that it is up to Rome to recognize these bishops. Pope Benedict XVI's June 30 letter to the Catholic community in China described the self-elected and self-ordained bishops in China as "validly ordained." But it said certain bishops among them "lack a pontifical mandate" and are to be considered "illegitimate." Usually the elected bishop candidate would apply to the Vatican for approval after his episcopal election in China. In some cases the Vatican did not give its approval, but "the fault lies not with China," Liu said, noting that he had read the papal letter three times and found it comprehensive.

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