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SYNOD-CHINA Sep-30-2005 (770 words) xxxi
Four Chinese bishops cannot attend synod in Rome, says news agency
By Catholic News Service
HONG KONG (CNS) -- The four bishops from mainland China invited to attend the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican cannot attend, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand.
A Catholic source close to Bishop Joseph Wei Jingyi of Qiqihar told UCA News Sept. 30 that the bishop's application for a passport had not been approved by the Chinese government, so it was "impossible for him to travel."
According to the source, religious affairs officials told Bishop Wei, "Once the diplomatic issue of China and the Holy See is resolved, China will not keep Chinese bishops from attending."
The same source quoted the 47-year-old bishop of the underground Catholic community as saying, "I respect the government's decision, but I still want to go if they change their mind."
Bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian of Shanghai confirmed that he did not receive government approval to go to Rome for the Oct. 2-23 synod, nor was any explanation given to him. As a result, he told UCA News Sept. 30, he cannot attend the synod.
"I am eager to go because I have not visited Rome since finishing my studies there in 1950 when I was a priest," he said. "I regret that I cannot go at this time, but I look forward to the next opportunity."
The 89-year-old prelate, who suffers from heart disease and diabetes, admitted that he is ill-suited for long-distance travel. He said his three main arteries are severely blocked.
Bishop Anthony Li Du'an of Xi'an told UCA News Sept. 30, "My health is not good, so I could not travel to Rome even if the government approved."
Local religious affairs officials told the 78-year-old bishop, who suffers from liver cancer, that it would be difficult to allow any Chinese bishops to go since China has no diplomatic ties with the Holy See.
Bishops Jin and Li said they view Pope Benedict XVI's invitation as an expression of his regard for the church in China. The Vatican announced the invitation without comment Sept. 8.
Bishop Luke Li Jingfeng of Fengxiang told UCA News Sept. 30 that although the government has not approved his going to Rome he still hopes he can go, since he is the one who can travel most easily.
He also said he realizes that the Vatican does not recognize the government-sanctioned church authorities in China -- the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China -- so the Vatican did not send the invitation to bishops through them.
"Even if we fail to go this time," the 83-year-old prelate said, "the pope must not give way."
Anthony Liu Bainian, vice chairman of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, told UCA News Sept. 28 that three of the four invited bishops are very sick or old, and the episcopal status of the fourth one is questionable -- patriotic association officials do not always recognize bishops of the underground church. For that reason, Liu said he suggested that the government approach Rome through diplomatic channels to ask if other bishops could go in place of the original four.
"But the Vatican refused to change the list," Liu said, adding that it was too late to arrange their going to Rome even if new invitations were sent to other bishops.
In 1998, Pope John Paul II invited two bishops from mainland China to attend the Synod of Bishops for Asia, but they were denied travel visas by the Chinese government. Two chairs were kept empty in the synod hall to mark their absence, which was lamented by the pope.
Since the 1950s, China has had a government-approved Catholic Church that elects its own bishops with government approval and initially was forced to reject ties to the Vatican. An underground church has always maintained loyalty to the Vatican.
Recent years have brought signs of rapprochement between the clandestine and official branches of the church.
Catholic officials familiar with the Chinese church say that up to 85 percent of the government-approved bishops have reconciled with the Vatican and that, in many regions of China, Catholics from the two churches intermingle at the parish level.
At the diplomatic level, meanwhile, the Vatican's equivalent of a foreign minister, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, said in June that there were "no insurmountable problems" to establishing diplomatic relations between the Vatican and China.
In the past, Vatican officials have said their two main conditions for diplomatic relations with China were the free appointment of bishops and freedom for Chinese Catholics to maintain religious links to Rome without government control.
END
Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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