Pope Francis has decided to approve the appointment of the bishop of Shanghai who was previously installed by Chinese authorities without the Vatican’s approval.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin announced on Saturday that Pope Francis wanted to “remedy the canonical irregularity created in Shanghai, in view of the greater good of the diocese and the fruitful exercise of the bishop’s pastoral ministry.”
The Holy See was not involved in this decision.
On Saturday, the head of the Catholic Church officially gave the green light for the transfer to Shanghai in a terse statement.
According to the Vatican, it is the pontiff’s responsibility to appoint Catholic bishops.
China’s action and Mr Shen Bin’s appointment contradicted the “spirit of dialogue and collaboration” established in 2018 between China and the Vatican in an agreement on appointing bishops, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin told the official news portal Vatican News on Saturday.
Mr Shen Bin, however, was “an esteemed pastor.
Mr Francis had accepted China’s unilateral move for the “greater good” of the faithful in Shanghai and therefore decided to “rectify the canonical irregularity.”
The Vatican now hopes that future decisions on vocations will be made together by consensus.
Mr Parolin called for an “open dialogue” and a “respectful encounter with the Chinese side.”
He insisted on respect for the agreement.
He indicated that the “proper application of the agreement” would make it possible to avoid such difficulties.
China and the Holy See do not maintain diplomatic relations. In 2018, however, they agreed on the appointment of bishops.
