The Vatican expressed this Saturday, November 26, its "
surprise
" and its "
regrets
" after the appointment of a bishop in a diocese of China not recognized by the Holy See, considering that this violated the agreement that he concluded in 2018 with Beijing.
In a statement, "
the Holy See noted with surprise and regret the news of the installation ceremony, on November 24 in Nanchang, of Monsignor Giovanni Peng Weizhao, the bishop of Yujiang (Jiangxi province), as 'Auxiliary Bishop of Jiangxi, a diocese not recognized by the Holy See
'.
"
This event did not take place in accordance with the spirit of dialogue that exists between the Vatican and Chinese parties and what was stipulated in the provisional agreement
(of 2018, editor's note)
on the appointment of bishops
".
A renewed agreement a month ago
The Vatican revealed last October that it had renewed for the second time the secret agreement allowing both Beijing and the Holy See to have a say in the appointment of bishops in China.
For decades, there have been two Catholic Churches in China, one that responds to Beijing and an “
underground
” congregation that remains loyal to Rome – often at enormous personal sacrifice. The 2018 agreement allowed Beijing to choose bishops and to have the Holy See approve their appointment, but it has been called by some a "
treason
" of underground Catholics in China.
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The Vatican ruled that the "
civil recognition
" of the new bishop had taken place, "
according to the information received
", against a backdrop of "
prolonged and intense pressure from the local authorities
", without providing further details.
"
The Holy See hopes that similar episodes will not be repeated
" and said it was waiting for a communication on this subject from the Chinese authorities.
The Vatican "
reaffirms its full readiness to pursue respectful dialogue on all matters of common interest
".
The 2018 deal was rolled over despite tensions stemming from the May arrest of retired Cardinal Joseph Zen, one of Asia's longest-serving Catholic cardinals, by authorities in Hong Kong.
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The 90-year-old prelate is among six dissidents convicted on Friday, Nov. 25, of running a multimillion-dollar fund to defend anti-government protesters arrested under national security legislation Beijing imposed in 2020, a year after the outbreak of huge demonstrations, sometimes violent.
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