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New Auxiliary Bishop Of Xi´an Strains To Help ´High-Caliber´ Bishop

Updated: July 26, 2005 05:00 PM GMT
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The new auxiliary bishop of Xi´an diocese says he feels pressured to be serving as the assistant of a "high-caliber" bishop.

Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Dang Mingyan was consecrated by Bishop Anthony Li Du´an, 78, at St. Francis Cathedral here in Xi´an city on July 26, Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne.

Bishop Dang told UCA News that same evening he feels pressure being the new auxiliary bishop of Xi´an because he had no "psychological preparation" after priests, nuns and lay representatives elected him on June 14.

"One of my greater pressures is to be the assistant of Bishop Li, who is very outstanding and wise," the 38-year-old auxiliary said. He added, however, he believes Bishop Li will give him good guidance.

Bishop Li, vice president of the government-recognized Bishops´ Conference of the Catholic Church in China, was once rumored to be one of Pope John Paul II´s "cardinals in pectore" but no one could confirm or deny this appointment.

Bishop Li admitted to UCA News on July 27 that he is happy he now has a young bishop to assist him in diocesan affairs.

In August 2004, Bishop Li told UCA News he had a few candidates in mind to become his auxiliary. Each of them, he pointed out, has strengths and weaknesses, so it was hard for him to nominate a candidate.

After hearing Bishop Li´s comment, Bishop Dang said: "I am just a very ordinary priest without much achievement. I´m not even aware what strengths I have. But my fellow priests, nuns and lay Catholics give me their support and trust, so I will try my very best."

Father Stephen Chen Ruixue, Xi´an diocese´s chancellor, told UCA News on July 20 that Bishop Dang´s good spirituality is modeled on Saint Anthony, his patron saint, and Saint Therese of Lisieux. Describing Bishop Dang as "serious, conscientious and loyal to his work," Father Chan also said he hopes the new auxiliary will follow Bishop Li in leading the diocese to greater development.

Under Bishop Li, Xi´an seminary in 1997 became China´s first regional seminary to open a formation section for nuns. The diocese also opened one of the country´s Church-run social service centers in Xi´an in 2002.

Early last year, Bishop Li was diagnosed with liver cancer. Father Chen told UCA News in August 2004 that the tumor did not keep Bishop Li from work and that the elderly bishop instead was working even harder.

About 2,000 Catholics and 102 priests attended Bishop Dang´s ordination. The co-ordaining prelates were Bishop Francis Tong Hui of Yan´an and Bishop Joseph Zong Huaide of Sanyuan, both in Shaanxi province.

Among prelates who also laid hands on the new auxiliary were Bishop John Ye Ronghua of Ankang, Bishop Tong Changping of Weinan and Bishop Louis Yu Runchen, all from Shaanxi, and Bishop Han Jide of Pingliang in Gansu province and Bishop John Huo Cheng of Fenyang (Luliang) in Shanxi province.

Since Bishop Li has been in and out of hospital recently, Bishop Dang´s ordination date was not fixed until mid-July, local Church sources pointed out to UCA News. According to Bishop Dang, Bishop Li exited the hospital just two days before the ordination and he did not wish soon to return to it. According to Church sources, the elderly bishop seemed to be fine throughout the ordination and at the subsequent luncheon banquet.

The Xi´an ordination came about a month after the June 28 ordination of Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Xing Wenzhi of Shanghai, whose ordination drew world media attention because his episcopal appointment had been approved by the Holy See and recognized by Beijing. The appointment of Bishop Dang likewise was approved by the Holy See and recognized by the Chinese government.

However, local sources observed, no overseas priests or non-Chinese guests from outside China were evident at Bishop Dang´s liturgy. On the other hand, attending the liturgy were local government officials, two officials from the State Administration of Religious Affairs, as well as Father Ma Yinglin and layman Liu Yuanlong, secretaries-general of the Beijing-based bishop´s conference and of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association respectively.

Father Francis Xavier Yao Jingxing of Shanghai, who retired from teaching at Sheshan Regional Seminary in Shanghai, told UCA News in late June he is happy and proud to see two of his Sheshan students now serving as ordained bishops.

Bishop Dang was born to a Catholic family on July 12, 1967. He has four elder brothers, three elder sisters and one younger sister. He entered Xi´an Seminary in 1985 but went on for further studies at Sheshan and was ordained a priest in 1991.

Before his episcopal ordination, Bishop Dang had been parish priest of Saint Anthony´s Church, four kilometers west of the cathedral, ever since it opened in 2003. He also has been director of the diocesan financial commission. This position, he said, helps him understand the basic situation of Xi´an diocese.

Bishop Dang also remarked that the challenge facing Xi´an diocese is how to motivate priests and laypeople to evangelize, something he said it has been slow to start. He also mentioned that a two-year course on psychology he took 2000-2002 at Xi´an Normal University may help him better appreciate the psychological and practical needs of laypeople in his pastoral ministry.

END

(Accompanying photos available at here)

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