Bishop Jia Arrested Again in China

by Joseph Kung

11/12/05

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Two Other Diocesan Priests Also Arrested
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Bishop JIA Zhi Guo, the underground Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Zheng Ding in Hebei Province, was arrested again by Chinese government security officials at his house on November 8, 2005. The officials, having ordered the bishop to bring his clothing, drove the Bishop to Jinzhou City where several other security officials were waiting in order to drive the Bishop to Shijiazhuang City. The security personnel told the public that the Bishop was taken away for a “study session.” We have no idea how long Bishop Jia will be in custody.
One day before the Bishop’s arrest, Father LI Suchuan, aged 40, and Father YANG Ermeng, aged 35, both of whom belong to Bishop JIA’s Zheng Ding Diocese, were taken away by the security personnel separately on November 7 from their parishes in Zhoujiazhuang Village and Zhoutou Village, both of Dingzhou City, respectively. We understand that they were taken to the Security Bureau of Jinzhou City. They still have not returned home at the time of this writing.
Bishop JIA is 70 years old and was ordained a bishop in 1980. He was previously in jail for approximately 20 years and has been under strict surveillance for many years. He takes care of approximately 100 handicapped orphans in his house. This is the eighth time we are aware that Bishop JIA was arrested since January 2004.
Joseph Kung, the President of the Cardinal Kung Foundation, said: “It is so fitting that today the United States government once again designated China as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ for denying its citizens religious freedom and human rights for the 7th consecutive year. For those who advocate that free-trade with China will change China’s human rights abuses, it will be difficult for them to produce evidence of progress in this area.
Recently, there have been many reports of bishops in US and Europe making friendly visits to the official Patriotic Bishops and the Chinese government. In addition, it was also reported that a Sister of Charity has agreed to open convents in China at the invitation of the Chinese government.
It is most disappointing that this good will and generosity have not improved the government treatment of the Roman Catholic bishops and clergy. It is sad to see that the Chinese government is quite confident that its continuous assault on the underground Roman Catholic Church will have no reprisal on their being accepted and pursued by the universal Roman Catholic Church.
In order to hopefully improve the Chinese government’s human rights practice, this arrest should serve once again as a wake-up call to the fact that some more effective antidote should be employed. I call once again for the Olympic Committee to consider canceling the Games in China, not only to preserve its good name and spirit, but also to act as a bargaining chip to improve China’s human rights and religious freedom practice.
As most of the official Patriotic Bishops have reportedly by media professed their loyalty to the Holy See and claimed that they have been approved by the Holy Father, I call to them to act as religious leaders in China and have the courage and charity to speak out against this injustice and continuous assaults to the underground Roman Catholic Church bishops and clergies.”
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(This update is courtesy of Joseph Kung of the Cardinal Kung Foundation.)