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Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic bishop arrived in Beijing on Monday, marking the primary go to to the Chinese language capital by town’s bishop in practically three many years, regardless of indicators of Sino-Vatican strains.
The five-day journey by Bishop Stephen Chow started about two weeks after Vatican Information, the information portal of the Holy See, reported that China had unilaterally appointed a brand new bishop to Shanghai.
Chow, who was named by Pope Francis as town’s bishop in 2021, earlier stated that the go to underscores the mission of the Hong Kong Diocese to be a bridge church and promote exchanges between the 2 sides. He was invited to go to the Chinese language capital by his counterpart there.
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China’s ruling Communist Occasion carefully controls organized faith, which it sees as a possible risk to its monopoly on energy. Individuals are allowed to worship in establishments that abide by get together guidelines. Some Christians have arrange underground church buildings, that are thought-about unlawful and harassed by authorities.
In 2018, the Vatican and China signed a “provisional settlement ” over the appointment of bishops, a breakthrough on a difficulty that stymied diplomatic relations for many years and aggravated a break up amongst Chinese language Catholics.
Stephen Chow poses after the episcopal ordination ceremony as the brand new Bishop of the Catholic Diocese in Hong Kong, on Dec. 4, 2021. Chow arrived in Beijing on April 17, 2023, marking the primary go to to the Chinese language capital by town’s bishop in practically three many years. (AP Picture/Kin Cheung, File)
The settlement on Catholic bishops has been renewed twice, most not too long ago for 2 extra years final October. A month later, a feud broke out over the set up of an auxiliary bishop in Jiangxi province, which the Vatican doesn’t acknowledge as a diocese.
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The deal was additionally harshly criticized by Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen.
The Hong Kong Diocese didn’t reveal Chow’s itinerary when asserting his journey in March. Nevertheless it stated in an announcement that it accepted the invitation from Beijing’s diocese within the spirit of brotherhood.
Kung Kao Po, a publication affiliated with the Hong Kong Diocese, reported that Chow would meet together with his counterpart, Joseph Li, go to the Nationwide Seminary of Catholic Church in China and host a thanksgiving Mass on the Xuanwumen Catholic Church.
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He would additionally go to the tomb of Matteo Ricci, one of many first Jesuits to reside in China who died in Beijing in 1610, and different organizations that facilitated cultural exchanges, the report added.
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