Some might ask why the problem of Chinese bishops is any concern of mine or why it should be of concern to anyone but the Chinese. For me, it is not simply a matter of church polity, but goes to something far more fundamental: the freedom to choose what to believe and how to express that belief. When a government forces its people to believe certain things (even by omission), they empty the content of acts that purport to be free. They skew the proper formation of a person's conscience. They make a person other than what he or she is ultimately called to be--someone with a mind, unfettered by outside influence, to think and speak and act in accord with their rightly formed conscience. A conscience is rightly formed when it has access to all the facts that comprise a reality. I am not so foolish as to believe that reality is not somehow "constructed." But when a church or state attempts to construct reality, there is a major difference. One compels through open persuasion and reasonable argument; the other compels by coercive measures that involve imprisonment and other harsh tactics that are objectively detrimental to the formation of a free conscience.
What follows is the latest episode in the saga of Chinese stubborness. And I am ashamed that the United States seems to have hit the mute button when it comes to a response.
>>Beijing Prepares Next Illicit Ordination
How Far Will China Go in Forcing Bishops to Participate?
ROME, JULY 19, 2011 (Zenit.org (http://www.zenit.org/)).- The French agency
Eglises d'Asie is reporting that China's next illicit ordination will
happen in the coming few days.
This will be the third episcopal ordination without the Pope's approval
since June 29.
The ordination is scheduled for the Diocese of Harbin, which already has an
"underground" bishop, Wei Jingyi. The candidate is Father Joseph Yue Fu
Sheng, 47.
At the Patriotic Association meeting in December, Father Yue was elected
vice president.
According to AsiaNews (http://www.asianews.it/), the ordination in Harbin
has already been postponed because of the resistance of the faithful.
Eglises d'Asie proposed that this new ordination will be a test of how far
"Chinese authorities are prepared to go to oblige bishops who have the
recognition of both Rome and Beijing to attend the ceremony."
AsiaNews detailed the precedent already set by the government for the July
14 ordination: The faithful of Liaoning managed to prevent the kidnapping
of their bishop, who had been pegged as the chief concelebrant of the
ordination. The faithful staged a sit-in in the cathedral until the
ordination date had passed. Another bishop went into hiding. Four others,
however, were taken by authorities a few days before the ordination and did
not return to their dioceses until Sunday.
In response to last December's national Church activities, AsiaNews
reported, Bishop Li Lianghui of Cangzhou, Hebei, went into hiding. He was
subsequently hunted and arrested, and forced to three months of isolation
and "brainwashing to convince him of the Party's 'good intentions' towards
the Church."
In a statement (http://www.zenit.org/article-33088?l=english) Saturday, the
Vatican lauded the faithful who are resisting government pressure.
"With regard to this resistance," the statement said, "it should be noted
that it is meritorious before God and calls for appreciation on the part of
the whole Church. Equal appreciation is also due to those priests,
consecrated persons and members of the faithful who have defended their
pastors, accompanying them by their prayers at this difficult time and
sharing in their deep suffering."
--- --- ---
On ZENIT's Web page:
Related news: www.zenit.org/article-33094?l=english
(http://www.zenit.org/article-33094?l=english)<<
A further statement on the situation emerges in the form of a question and answer document:
>>Some Questions Regarding the Leshan Ordination
"For Some Serious Reasons Father Lei Cannot Be Appointed Bishop"
LESHAN, China, JULY 19, 2011 (Zenit.org (http://www.zenit.org)).- Here is a
document of questions and answers prepared by the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples that addressed the July 4 statement of the Holy
See on the illegitimate episcopal ordination that took place June 26 in
Leshan.
The document was published on the CatholicsInChina blog of the Fides News
Service.
* * *
Preliminary Remarks
-- This is a response from the CEP to questions raised by the faithful in
China regarding the Declaration of the Holy See (04.07.2011) on the
illegitimate episcopal ordination of Leshan (29.06.2011).
-- The response given here is of merely pastoral concern.
-- Some experts of Canon Law have been consulted in articulating the
answer.
--- --- ---
Regarding Father Paul Lei Shiyin
Q: Is Father Paul Lei Shiyin now in the state of "latae sententiae"
excommunication?
A: Yes. By the very act of receiving episcopal ordination without the
pontifical mandate, Father Lei has already incurred the "latae sententiae"
excommunication (See Can. 1382), which is further "declared" publicly by
the Holy See. Excommunication is a very severe form of penalty in the
Church that excludes the excommunicated person from the visible communion
of the faithful.
Q: What does it mean by a public declaration of this kind?
A: A public declaration of a "latae sententiae" penalty in the Church is
intended to make it clear to the offender that he has incurred the
prescribed canonical sanction, and to make known to the faithful the
canonical situation of the offender. In the present case, it is also meant
to summon Father Lei to repent at once by approaching the Holy See (Can.
1382). At the same time, this public declaration urges vigorous action to
be taken by the Church in China (namely Bishops, Priests, Religious, and
Laity) to resist any form of illegitimate episcopal ordination. A declared
excommunication is a "must" for the Holy See, if circumstances should at
any time oblige and, above all, when the good of the souls is seriously at
stake.
Q: Does excommunication mean being expelled from the Church?
A: No. The Church has both visible social and invisible mystical
dimensions. The excommunicated person to a certain extent is excluded from
active participation in Catholic community life in a visible social sense
with all its juridical effects (Can. 1331). The same person by virtue of
the baptism still remains a member of the Church -- the mystical body of
Christ. That is why he can still approach the Holy See, which is the only
place he can go for reconciliation.
Q: What are the juridical effects of Can. 1331?
A: The excommunicated person is forbidden to celebrate the Holy Mass, to
administer/receive sacraments, or to hold any ecclesial office. He, though
ordained bishop, has no power to govern the diocese. Thus, priests and
faithful (except for grave cause, e.g., in point of death) should not only
avoid receiving sacraments from him, but also keep him away from
celebrating all forms of liturgy or Ecclesial ceremony, and to suspend the
liturgy or ceremony, in case he does not observe the prohibition. In short,
such penalty deprives the excommunicated person from some spiritual good,
so that through this "medicinal" penalty he may soon come to real
repentance.
Q: Can Father Lei be forgiven?
A: Yes. The "public declaration" is meant precisely for that. Father Lei
has to immediately approach the Holy See for forgiveness. Then, he has to
implement meticulously the instruction given to him by the Holy See.
Afterwards, the Holy Father, based on his true repentance, removes his
excommunication. Until then, he will remain excommunicated.
Q: Once his excommunication is removed, can Father Lei automatically
exercise the episcopal ministry?
A: No, he cannot. The removal of excommunication is one thing; and the
episcopal appointment is another. These two things are distinct. The Holy
See has so far expressed that for some serious reasons Father Lei cannot be
appointed bishop. In other words, even if his excommunication is removed,
he is not entitled to acting like a bishop, wearing a bishop's insignia,
and being addressed as bishop.
--- --- ---
Regarding the Consecrating Bishops
Q: What is the current status of the seven consecrating bishops?
A: They have exposed themselves to the grave canonical sanctions laid down
by the law of the Church (Declaration 04.07.2011). This means that "when an
external violation has occurred, imputability is presumed unless it is
otherwise apparent" (Can 1321, §3). The "presumed imputability" means that
there is a sufficient reason to ascertain that these bishops actually
committed a grave act of indiscipline through the illegitimate episcopal
ordination and, thus, are presumed to have incurred the excommunication,
unless the contrary is proved.
Q: Can they continue their normal episcopal ministry?
A: No, they may not do so, as long as their "presumed imputability" is not
removed.
Q: What should they do?
A: First and foremost, it is their duty to immediately approach the Holy
See for forgiveness and to explain reasons for which they have participated
in the illegitimate episcopal ordination and wait for the reply from the
Holy See.
Q: What, if a consecrating bishop in his conscience holds that he has not
incurred the excommunication?
A: "Conscience" is a sacred place where the bishop in question has to stay
honest to God. However, other people cannot see through his conscience. As
long as the "presumed imputability" is not removed, the bishop in question
has to abstain from all public ministries. In the meantime, he remains
obliged to approach the Holy See.
Q: Should their priests and faithful avoid receiving sacraments
administered by them?
A: Yes, they should, not because the priests and faithful are in a position
to judge the conscience of the bishop in question, but because the
"presumed imputability" is not yet removed.
Q: What else can the priests and faithful do when the "presumed
imputability" of a consecrating bishop is not yet removed?
A: First of all, they should remain firm in their faith and keep
safeguarding the unity of the community. As to their bishop with "presumed
imputability", the priests and faithful are very much encouraged to pray
for him and to remind him, when needed, of the teaching of the Church.
Illegitimate episcopal ordination does not only violate seriously the
discipline or obfuscate the doctrine, but above all profoundly wounds the
communion of the Church.
Prayer is of utmost importance that our pastors be always strengthened and
accompanied by the Lord. In fact, in China there are admirable bishops. "We
must thank the Lord", said the Holy Father, "for this constant presence,
not without suffering, of Bishops who have received episcopal ordination in
conformity with Catholic tradition, that is to say, in communion with the
Bishop of Rome, Successor of Peter, and at the hands of validly and
legitimately ordained Bishops in observance of the rite of the Catholic
Church." (No. 8 Letter of Benedict XVI to the Church in China).<<
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