ICC Note:

A Catholic Bishop has been missing since the 6th of April after visiting the Religious Affairs Office. The Head of Security in that area says he will be in custody for 20 days because he needs to “study and learn.” China has sometimes taken to detaining religious leaders and coercing them study how to practice state sanctioned religion. This “training” is not necessarily coercive, as some religious leaders have reported being brought to a resort and treated well while being taught why they should join the state-run church. The danger for these leaders, however, is after they return to their congregation. Churches that have refused to join the state-sanctioned Three Self Patriotic Movement have had their leaders and members imprisoned, tortured, or disappeared indefinitely.

4/11/2017 China (Asia News) – Mgr Vincent Guo Xijin, underground bishop of Mindong, has been missing for four days after he went to Religious Affairs Office in Fuan on 6 April.

Although not recognised by the government, Mgr Guo is the ordinary bishop of the diocese following the death of his predecessor, Mgr Huang Shoucheng on 30 July 2016.

Reacting to concerns expressed by Catholics who do not know where their missing leader is, the head of Public Security in Ningde said that the bishop “needs to study and learn” and will remain in custody for 20 days for this purpose.

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