The Roman Catholic Church has ordained its first bishop in China since Vatican and Chinese officials came to a controversial agreement concerning the appointment of bishops last September.
Fr. Antonio Yao Shun was ordained bishop of Jining on Monday morning, according to AsiaNews. He was ordained a priest in 1991, and completed his seminary studies in Beijing before spending much of the 1990s studying in the United States and Jerusalem.
It is unclear whether Yao was appointed by Pope Francis prior to last September’s agreement.
The agreement between the Vatican and China has not been made public, although it is thought to allow both the pope and Chinese officials to play a role in the selection of bishops. The deal also lifted the excommunications of eight bishops who were appointed by the state-backed church, known as the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. In addition, two bishops tied to the Vatican were told to step aside to allow bishops of the Patriotic Association to take their place.
Cardinal Joseph Zen, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, has stridently opposed the agreement.
Zen told the National Catholic Register in December the shared responsibility for appointing bishops “will be embarrassing for present and future popes.” He also expressed concern for the “underground” church, loyal to the Vatican and not the Patriotic Association. Zen suggested members of the underground church would be forced “in to the Patriotic Association like a bird cage” with the deal.
As recently as June, Catholic leaders have raised concerns about the treatment of Catholics, despite last year’s agreement. The Vatican asked Chinese officials to stop intimidating clergy who refuse to sign official registration forms with the state. Priests and bishops are required by law to sign a form “accepting the principle of independence, autonomy and self-administration of the Church in China,” but some clerics fear this could limit their loyalty to the pope.
