VATICAN CITY, NOV. 29, 2011 (Zenit.org).- An episcopal ordination scheduled for Wednesday in China has the Vatican’s approval, says the director of the Vatican press office.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi released a statement affirming that the upcoming episcopal ordination of Luo Xuegang in the Diocese of Yibin has the Vatican’s backing.
Father Lombardi said he saw news of the ordination in the media. He added his hopes that if the ordination takes place, “the norms of the Catholic Church will be respected, namely that the faithful are informed about the approval of the candidate by the Holy See, and that no illegitimate bishop participates in the liturgical ceremony.”
“If the norms are respected,” Father Lombardi said, “the event would be an encouragement for the Catholic community.”
AsiaNews reported Friday that “the faithful of the diocese fear that the illegitimate and excommunicated bishop of nearby Leshan, Paul Lei Shiyin, may participate in the ceremony as a consecrating bishop.”
Lei was ordained a bishop on June 29 without the permission of the Holy See.
