By Citizen Go
Chinese authorities have detained and re-located a Roman Catholic Bishop, Peter Shao Zhumin, away from his home diocese, because, following the death of the senior Bishop in his diocese (Bishop Zhu), he (Bishop Shao) was set to be installed as the new, senior Bishop (and, full administrator) of Zhejiang (Wenzhou) - which boasts a Catholic population of 120,000.
What is the "crime" for which Bishop Shao has been detained and taken "on a trip" by police (according to Asianews.it)?
The answer is that he was appointed as Bishop by the Vatican, and not by the Communist-Party-controlled "Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association", thereby making him a Bishop of the so-called "Underground Church" in the eyes of the authorities.It is accepted, however, that, even though "unofficial", Bishop Shao had openly served as Co-Adjutor Bishop (i.e., Assistant Bishop) under the late Bishop Zhu, who was part of the "official" Church. This fact was widely known by the authorities for at least 5 years.
Either way, Bishop Shao's detention and exile is a regrettable and retrograde step where religious freedom is concerned! Especially for a country like China, which has, in recent years, made some strides in the right direction.
But, in order to welcome China into the "Developed World" of human rights, the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities- like that suffered among Christian converts in Tibet, or among the Muslim Uighurs - as well as systematic programs which try to erase Christian symbols from the landscape - like the demolition of 1,200 crosses in Zhejiang Province - must end.
And, specifically, in the case of Bishop Shao, China must recognize that the Vatican is the spiritual and juridical headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.
As such, Bishop Shao is a licitly appointed bishop of the Roman Catholic Church, and has the right and duty to lead the flock of faithful in the Diocese of Zhejiang (Wenzhou).
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