Mongolia/ Shanghai: The Vatican council confirmed that 2 new Bishops, one in Mongolia and the other in Shanghai province were ordained on august 26th and August 28th respectively. Following a deal with the Chinease Government, the Papal Ministry appointed Antonio Yao Shun as the Bishop of Inner Mongolia Province in China. The ordination marks the bishop as “the first to take place in the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China”. Further, on wednesday, Stephen Su Hong-Ve was ordained Bishop of the Shanghai Province. The official Spokesperson of the Vatican Press, Matteo Bruni confirmed that both the ordinations took place within utmost peaceful atmosphere and that a huge crowd prayerfully participated in the ceremony.
The announcement of the ordination came after the official statement by the Vatican regarding reconciliation between the Chinese Government and the Catholic Church. The issues between the groups date back to a disagreement between the Holy See and Beijing in the 1950s. For years, members of the underground church have only recognised the pope, while the members of the state church have refused it.
Cardinal Joseph Zen from Hong Kong said, “the decision to reconcile with Beijing meant that retiring bishops of the underground church, faithful to Rome, would now be replaced by state-approved appointees.”
(Source: https://www.vaticannews.va/ml/vatican-city/news/2019-08/two-chinese-bishops-appointed.html)
