The Chinese Situation

I'm not really sure how the canon law situation got to be such a big deal. I've seen several articles focusing on that issue. Regardless, it sounds pretty settled now.

The Vatican is reiterating that Canon Law stipulates excommunication for bishops ordained without papal approval, but is also calling the whole Church to value the fidelity of those bishops who resist participation in these ordinations.

A Vatican statement Saturday responded to last Thursday's episcopal ordination of Reverend Joseph Huang Bingzhang in the Diocese of Shantou, China.

It stated that the priest incurred the sanction of Canon 1382, latae sententiae excommunication.

"Consequently, the Holy See does not recognize him as bishop of the Diocese of Shantou, and he lacks authority to govern the Catholic community of the diocese," the Vatican declared.

The statement added that the priest "had been informed some time ago that he could not be approved by the Holy See as an episcopal candidate, inasmuch as the Diocese of Shantou already has a legitimate bishop; Reverend Huang had been asked on numerous occasions not to accept episcopal ordination."

Hopefully, this man will repent. Who knows? He might have been threatened with martyrdom or the murder of his family if he didn't go through with this.