Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Chinese Underground Bishop Dies

(Zenit.org).- After almost eight years of imprisonment, Bishop Han Dingxiang, a bishop of the underground Church in China, died Sunday.According to a U.S.-based watchdog group, the Cardinal Kung Foundation, Bishop Han, 71, of the Diocese of Yong Nian in Hebei province, died at 11 p.m. Government authorities summoned a few close relatives to his bedside before his death. No priests or other faithful were aware of a grave illness or any other cause leading to his death, the foundation reported. The government ordered the bishop's body to be cremated early Monday morning; his ashes were buried in a public cemetery within six hours of his death.With the exception of a few relatives, the body of Bishop Han was not viewed by anyone. No priests or other faithful were present during his burial.Joseph Kung, the president of the Cardinal Kung Foundation, said: "What was the Chinese government afraid of to cremate Bishop Han only six hours after his death and at such an early hour -- at 5 o'clock in the morning?"

4 comments:

WhiteStoneNameSeeker said...

The Chinese Govt are afraid- +Kung is right.
May God welcomethe bishop home so he can continue his work for the Church in China.

Physiocrat said...

Can anyone name a single Communist or Marxist inspired regime which has not been either foolish or evil or both?

Marxist theory is piffle laced with a few half truths to make it plausible. Why was it ever taken seriously?

And post Marxist regimes have tended to be fascistic.

James H said...

Thansk for the info. It is just incredible this still happens in Chian

Physiocrat said...

Buddhists have had a rough time too. To act in this way the Chinese communists must take us more seriously than we seem to take ourselves in England.

Since the church is built on the bones of the martyrs, it bodes well for the future. Which reminds me. There is a regular prayer group here with Benediction, with prayers for the conversion of the country, invoking the support of St Brigit.

Now we in England have masses of martyrs who would help us if only we asked more than we do. Instead of praying for conversion, we have instead wasted forty years talking ecumenism. Svenska Kyrkan is still gracious enough to allow us to use their buildings for occasions when ours are too small. Today the new priest was inducted - this was held in the Vasakyrk. I counted ten mitres!

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