The director of the Vatican Press Office issued a statement on Monday, November 7, saying the Holy See hopes that reports of episcopal ordinations conferred without Papal Mandate are unfounded and recalling that “it is not licit to proceed with any episcopal ordination without the necessary Papal Mandate, even by appealing to particular personal beliefs”.
In a statement issued by the director of the Vatican Press Office, Greg Burke, the Holy See expresses the hope that reports about alleged “do-it-yourself” episcopal ordinations of priests belonging to China’s unofficial Catholic community, are unfounded. It reminds those concerned that “it is not licit to proceed with any episcopal ordination without the necessary Papal Mandate, even by appealing to particular personal beliefs”.
“In recent weeks,” the statement reads, “there has been a series of reports regarding some episcopal ordinations conferred without Papal Mandate of priests of the unofficial community of the Catholic Church in Continental China.”
“The Holy See has not authorised any ordination, nor has it been officially informed of such events,” the statement clarifies. “Should such episcopal ordinations have occurred, they would constitute a grave violation of canonical norms.”
“The Holy See hopes that such reports are baseless. If not, it will have to await reliable information and sure documentation before adequately evaluating the cases. However, it is reiterated that it is not licit to proceed with any episcopal ordination without the necessary Papal Mandate, even by appealing to particular personal beliefs”.
The Vatican statement was issued in relation to the news regarding Chinese priest Paulus Dong Guanhua, who announced his ordination as bishop and promised episcopal ordinations on request via Catholic website tianzhujiao.online. On 11 September, Dong, dressed in bishop apparel and donning a mitre and pastoral staff, celebrated his “episcopal enthronement” mass in a church in the diocese of Zhengding, in Hebei Province. The ceremony, which was celebrated to the sound of gongs and firecrackers, was attended by about a hundred or so followers of his.
Before the Vatican statement was released, 81-year-old Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo, the legitimate bishop (recognised, in other words, by the Holy See) of the diocese of Zhengding (the same one Dong claims to be bishop of) and a member of the unofficial Catholic community, sent a communiqué round to the priests in his diocese, on 13 September, announcing that Dong had incurred a latae sententiae excommunication because his episcopal ordination took place without the consent of the Holy See.
