Fr Wang Zhong, from the diocese of Xiwanze (Hebei), was sentenced to three years in prison for organising the celebrations of the consecration of a church in Guyuan.
The story is quite fascinating. He was arrested and kept in isolation with no visiting rights (I wonder how many days they are allowed to do that?) He was charged with organising an unlawful meeting (the consecration of the Church) despite having had a permit for the Church to be built. The permit was produced as evidence as was his parish seal which was made with the permission of the civil affairs bureau.
Prosecution evidence was given by a policeman who said that the consecration caused travel problems (7000 people attended). However, the Church is in an isolated area, far from the main road, and has a large car park.
The trial was interrupted while the judge consulted the political commissar and representatives of the United Front and the Religious Affairs Bureau. It seems that they could not conclude what would be the just decision so he went higher. That obviously did the trick because the judge was now cofident enough of the truth and justice of the matter that he only needed 10 minutes to finish the trial, sentencing Fr Wang Zhong to 3 years in prison.
Source: Asia News: Chinese priest sentenced to three years for inaugurating a state-sanctioned church
3 comments:
The persecuted Church continues unabated...thankyou for giving us details so we can pray for this Priest..
I'll say the Rosary.
It's a most powerful weapon.
My Company have had a number of opportunities to provide/purchase services/goods and potentially work on projects in China over recent years. Each time I get a contact from a Company I write them a polite note giving reasons why at this time I would find it morally untenable to work with China - Christian persecution, jailing/torturing priests and religious such as this post illustrates, coercive abortion and one-child policies etc... I seldom get a response - except just recently where the Company Director agreed with me 100% and said that only a steady increase in trade and involvement with people and companies from other nations will the current blinkered, draconian, pre-historic regime and its policies break up and fall down. Call me a cynic but, well, maybe he's right.... time will tell. Meanwhile we must pray for the Catholic Church in China - their suffering cannot be imagined by us in the comfortable West. They suffer much for love of Jesus and He WILL remember each and every one of them. Count on it.
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