July 14, 2011. (Romereports.com) Eight Chinese bishops in communion with the pope were forced to participate in the illicit ordination of Fr Joseph Huang Bingzhang. This is the first ordination since the bishop of Leshan was officially excommunicated.


The Vatican has told the Chinese faithful to resist these ordinations as much as possible. In this most recent ceremony it's estimated that around 1,500 people attended from the diocese of Shantou that is home to 140,000 faithful.

A Monsignor Pei Junmin was also required to attend but was able to resist thanks to the protection by the priests in his diocese.

The ordination of Father Joseph Huang Bingzhang is the third illicit ordination by the Church of China. The Vatican has issued several warnings that anyone willfully participating in the ordinations will be excommunicated.

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