China Ordains Another Bishop Without Vatican OK

VATICAN CITY (RNS) In its latest move in a long-running power struggle with the Vatican, China’s state-run Catholic church ordained another bishop without the approval of Pope Benedict XVI. The Rev. Joseph Huang Bingzhang was ordained as bishop of Shantou on Thursday...

China Ordains Bishop without Vatican Approval

(RNS) Stepping up a protracted confrontation with the Vatican, China’s state-run Catholic church on Wednesday (June 29) ordained a bishop without the approval of Pope Benedict XVI just three days after police arrested the pope’s choice for bishop of another Chinese...

Vatican Issues New Bishops’ Policy

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Catholics forced to participate in ordinations of bishops without the pope’s approval may be exempt from the usual penalty of automatic excommunication, the Vatican said on Friday (June 10). Bishops who consecrate other bishops without a papal...

Pope Appeals to China over Naming of Bishops

VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican on Thursday (April 14) lamented China’s interference with the Roman Catholic Church, and reaffirmed Pope Benedict XVI’s willingness to negotiate with Beijing on the appointment of bishops. A message to Chinese Catholics, published by the...

India Woos Sri Lanka with Buddha’s Bones

NEW DELHI (RNS) India plans to lend rare fragments of the Buddha’s bones to Sri Lanka for the 2600th anniversary of Buddha’s Enlightenment in May, and some see it as part of India’s strategy to gain a regional edge over neighboring China. Indranil Banerjie, head of...