Beijing, Jul. 18, 2007 (CWNews.com) – Chinese officials have announced the selection of a new Bishop of Beijing.
Although he was not selected by the Pope, the AsiaNews service reports that the bishop-elect was one of several candidates to whom the Vatican raised no objection. The appointment appears to be a key test of the murky relationship between Beijing and Rome.
Father Joseph Li Shan, currently serving as a parish priest in Beijing, was named on July 16 to succeed Beijing’s Michele Fu Tieshan, the government-approved head of the Beijing archdiocese, who died earlier this year.
The appointment of Father Li Shan is the first episcopal nomination made since the publication of a letter by Pope Benedict XVI (bio – news) to the Church in China. The bishop-elect was selected through an “independent” process that appears to be an effort to compromise between the demands of the Holy See and those of the Beijing government.
In his letter, released on June 30, Pope Benedict wrote that relations between Beijing and Rome were hampered by “entities that have been imposed” upon the Church in China. Although he did not mention it by name, the Pontiff was clearly referring to the Patriotic Association, which is controlled by the Communist Party and claims authority to appoint bishops in the country.
The previous head of the Beijing archdiocese, Bishop Fu Tieshan had been the president of the Patriotic Association, and recognized by the Beijing regime as the leading figure in the Chinese Catholic Church. He was not recognized by the Holy See. In fact the Vatican has not recognized any Archbishop of Beijing since the death of Cardinal Thomas Tien Ken-sin in 1967.
Father Li Shan was chosen as archbishop by a panel composed of priests, religious, and laity of the Beijing archdiocese, the AsiaNews service reports. Chinese sources told AsiaNews that his name had been presented to the Vatican, and drew no objections.
The nomination of the bishop-elect will reportedly be approved by the Council of Bishops. This step, too, will test relations between Chinese Church leaders and the Vatican. In his June 30 message, Pope Benedict said that the Vatican cannot recognize the Chinese bishops’ conference, because it includes some bishops who have been ordained without the required permission from Rome, and excludes others– the leaders of the “underground” Catholic Church– who are recognized by the Holy See.
However, AsiaNews reports that Father Li Shan is admired by Chinese Catholics because of his independence from the Patriotic Association and his willingness to defend the rights of the Catholic Church against government encroachment.
