The Vatican has expressed “grave concern” over the situation of a bishop in mainland China who has been in government custody for almost 10 months and moved repeatedly in an apparent attempt to prevent him from assuming leadership of his diocese.
Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin had been coadjutor bishop of Wenzhou and should have taken over leadership of the diocese in September when his predecessor died. Instead, officials took him to northern China “on a trip.”
Greg Burke, director of the Vatican press office, said in a statement: “The Holy See is following with grave concern the personal situation of Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin of Wenzhou, forcibly removed from his episcopal see some time ago.
“The diocesan Catholic community and his relatives have no news or reasons for his removal, nor do they know where he is being held,” Mr Burke said.
The treatment of Bishop Zhumin “and other similar episodes”, Mr Burke said, do not foster the kind of understanding that the Holy See wants to reach with the Chinese government.
While Bishop Zhumin’s appointment was approved by the Vatican, the government did not recognise his election.
The Vatican hopes that the bishop “may return as soon as possible to the diocese and that he can be assured the possibility of serenely exercising his episcopal ministry,” Mr Burke said.
AsiaNews, a Rome-based Catholic news agency, said Chinese authorities appeared to be trying to get Bishop Zhumin to join the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.
Patriarch: Christians must correct Islamist propaganda
A distorted idea of Christianity is fuelling Islamist attacks on Christians, the Russian Orthodox patriarch has said.
Patriarch Kirill urged Christians to “dispel prejudice” among Muslims and make clear that Christianity is not allied to secularism but was its “first victim”.
The patriarch was speaking to a delegation of Coptic Orthodox leaders from Egypt. He pointed to the spate of deadly attacks on Christians by Islamist militants in Egypt that have left hundreds dead.
According to a post on the Russian Orthodox Church’s site for external affairs, he said: “Perpetrators of terrorist attacks appeal to religious feelings of Muslims who are dissatisfied with the secular godless standard being thrust upon them, but they link the spreading of godlessness and secularism with Christians and accuse them, saying that modern godless civilisation has come out from Christian civilisation.
“The participation of the West in military actions on the territory of Muslim states is taken as a crusade. We need direct contacts with Muslim clergy and Muslim thinkers to dispel these prejudices.”
Pope meets Knights’ new leader
Pope Francis has met the new leader of the Order of Malta, Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto.
Fra’ Dalla Torre, elected for a special one-year term in April, raised eyebrows by eschewing the Knights’ traditional red uniform and wearing a suit instead.
A statement from the order said the Pope’s last words at the meeting were: “I follow you, I pray for you, proceed along this path.”
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