ICC Note:

Monsignor Peter Shao Zhumin is a member of the unofficial Catholic community in China and his appointment as bishop, even with the mandate of the Holy See, is not recognized by Beijing authorities. Therefore, the police arrested him to prevent Msgr. Shao from celebrating funerals and taking possession of the diocese of the ordinary Bishop who died yesterday. The local police banned members of the underground community from attending the funeral. This is just another example of how the Chinese government oppresses Christians by restricting their ability to gather and express religious freedom through crooked strategies. 

09/08/2016 China (Asia News) – The coadjutor bishop of Wenzhou (Zhejiang), Msgr. Peter Shao Zhumin has been arrested by police and taken out of the diocese, which is preparing to celebrate the funeral of the ordinary Bishop who died yesterday, Msgr. Vincent Zhu Weifang.

Local faithful report that the coadjutor was siezed shortly before the death of Msgr. Zhu to prevent Msgr. Shao celebrating funerals and taken possesion of the diocese as ordinary (as it should be from a canonical point of view).

The government is opposed to Msgr. Shao because he is a member of the unofficial community, and his appointment as bishop, even with the mandate of the Holy See, is not recognized by Beijing authorities.

AsiaNews sources in Wenzhou have confirmed today that Msgr. Shao was brought by police to northwest China “on a trip.” His secretary (and chancellor of the diocese), Fr. Paul Jiang Sunian, who is also the unofficial priest, was escorted by police to Yunnan; another priest is being held in detention in a hotel in Hangzhou, the provincial capital.

Sources claim that “the bishop and the priests were taken away from the city to thwart a peaceful succession of Msgr. Shao episcopate of Wenzhou”.

The local police also banned members of the underground community from attending the funeral. The members of the official community must also obtain a permit to attend the funeral, and the police have determined that only 400 people will be allowed to participate in the Mass.

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