The vicar of the diocese of Xuanhua, in the Chinese province of Hebei, has remained in prison for more than two years already for critizing the “illegitimate” ordinations of three priests and a deacon.
Bishop Simone Zhang Jianlin, vicar general of the diocese of Xuanhua, has been detained since he was taken away by the police in April 2021.
His case arose from the May 11, 2021, ordination of three priests and a deacon by Bishop Guo Jincai of Chengde Diocese for the “Diocese of Zhangjiakou.”
The ordination was reportedly without the consent of the bishops of Xuanhua and Xiwanzi dioceses and the Zhangjiakou diocese is reportedly non-existent for the Holy See, only for the Chinese government.
Bishop Zhang “offended” the authorities by announcing the clarifications made by the Holy See and the rules of Canon Law, warning the priests of the diocese not to participate in illegal ordination ceremonies.
Sources told AsiaNews that the illegal ordination carried out by Bishop Guo Jincai in the diocese of Xuanhua has seriously upset the management of the two dioceses of Xuanhua and Xiwanzi.