Rome, Italy, Jul 31, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Speculation has begun to grow over the significance of the Chinese government’s decision for the second time to give the green light to the ordination of a Catholic bishop faithful to Rome.
This week the Church in China announced the appointment of Antoine Dang Mingyan, 38, as the new Auxiliary Bishop of Xian.
Bishop Dang Mingyan was ordained on July 26 by Archbishop Anthony Li Duan of Xian, a diocese of about 20,000 Catholics.
The ordination occurred just one month after China gave official approval for the first time to an episcopal appointment by the Holy See. That appointment was for Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Xing Wenzhi of Shanghai.