The Beijing government made its first official response this afternoon to the Vatican’s excommunication of two Chinese bishops ordained in recent months without papal mandate.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency published a statement by the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA), saying it is “extremely unreasonable and rude” that the Vatican threatened the two new bishops with “so-called excommunication.”

“If the Vatican has the sincerity to improve relations, it should revoke the excommunications and return to the right track of dialogue in a practical manner,” said a SARA spokesperson.

The Vatican’s act has seriously hurt the Church in China and saddens clergy and faithful, and the Chinese government pays serious attention to it, the statement added.

Fathers Paul Lei Shiyin of Leshan and Joseph Huang Bingzhang of Shantou, who were consecrated as bishops on June 29 and July 14 respectively, are devout and capable candidates who are supported by their priests and faithful, the spokesperson noted.

The Vatican pronounced latae sententiae (automatic) excommunication to them on July 4 and 16 respectively, denying their episcopal status and authority to govern the diocesan community.

Citing similar excommunication intimidation that the Vatican made in 1950s when the first two “self-elected and self-ordained” bishops were created without papal approval, the spokesperson stressed that “history has proved that China Church would not be held up by the Vatican’s threat.”

The clergy and faithful will “walk, in a firmer attitude, the path of ‘independent, autonomous and self-governing’ Church principle and ‘self-election and self-ordination’ of bishops. We will also continue to give them support and encouragement,” the spokesperson said.

Related reports

The Church cannot serve two masters

Rome excommunicates Shantou bishop

Bishops attend unapproved ordination

Pope excommunicates Leshan bishop

Holy See rejects Leshan bishop