Brief: China Appoints Beijing Bishop

China’s Catholic Church ordained a Vatican-approved Bishop for Beijing. The appointment is a sign of dialogue between the two entities despite a lack of diplomatic relations.

The agreement concerning the Beijing Bishop demonstrates that relations between the atheist Chinese Catholic Church and the Vatican are improving as the Vatican seeks greater communion with Chinese believers.

Pope Benedict XVI formally approved the appointment according to the Vatican's L'Osservatore Romano newspaper.

Catholics followers in Chinat hat do not subscribe to the Chinese Catholic Church, but to the Vatican, have created“underground” churches loyal to the Pope solely. To see Impunity Watch’s coverage, see.

For more information, please see:

Agence France-Presse—China Ordains New Beijing Bishop—21 September 2007

The New York Times--China: Beijing Church to Ordain Bishop--18 September 2007

BBC News--China Installs Pope-Backed Bishop--21 September 2007