Pope Benedict XVI Blog

Vatican Signals Approval of New Beijing Bishop

New York Times
By IAN FISHER
Published: September 21, 2007

ROME, Sept. 21 — The Vatican sent an indirect but unmistakable signal that it approved the choice of the new bishop of Beijing, publishing in its official newspaper an article on the ordination today of the new bishop, the Rev. Joseph Li Shan.

The Vatican and the Chinese government, which controls the Catholic church there, have long struggled over the authority to appoint bishops — and the new choice for Beijing, the nation’s capital, was considered both important and delicate.

But in the days leading up to Father Li’s appointment, it seemed increasingly apparent that the Vatican and China, in this case at least, had quietly agreed on Father Li, 42, who was installed today in Beijing at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Any doubt vanished with the appearance of the article in the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, often used to communicate more subtly positions that the Vatican prefers not to make directly. This one was relatively short, buried on the second page with other world news.

Though the article did not say directly whether Pope Benedict XVI agreed with the choice, it said that local Catholics had told the Vatican that Father Li and another bishop named in Guiyang last month were “worthy and qualified.”
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posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 6:29 PM