Chinese underground bishop Guo Xijin - who stepped down for a state-sanctioned bishop - is unsure whether he can concelebrate a Chrism Mass.
Bishop told to toe party line before celebrating Chrism Mass - ucanews.com
A recent image of Bishop Guo Xijin as seen in his residence. (Photo supplied)
A Chinese bishop, asked to step aside by the Vatican for an illicitly ordained bishop, cannot concelebrate Chrism Mass unless he agrees to state policy on the Catholic Church in China.
Bishop Guo Xijin — the former bishop of
Mindong
— told ucanews.com that it is currently uncertain if he could join the Chrism Mass because the government refuses to acknowledge him.
“The government officials said in clarity that they do not recognize me as a bishop,” Bishop Guo said.
The bishop said he has been told that recognition would only come upon his applying to join the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC) and its church affairs committee at the provincial level.
“This needs to be done after declaring my acceptance of the policy of ‘an independent, autonomous and self-run church,’” he said. “They said: ‘You are not sincere …ucanews.com
Pope Francis is awesome, just look at the fantastic deal in China. Wish he would do a deal for me too.