Pope Leo XIV has appointed a bishop in China for the first time, in accordance with the agreement signed between the Vatican and the Chinese Communist Party in 2018. The Vatican expressed satisfaction with the appointment of 73-year-old Bishop Lin Yuntuan as the auxiliary bishop of the Fuzhou diocese. The Chinese authorities acknowledged this appointment on Wednesday (June 11).
According to a statement released by the Vatican’s Press Office, Bishop Lin Yuntuan officially took over the Catholic diocese of Fuzhou and received recognition from the Chinese government, stating that it is “another result of dialogue between the Holy See and the Chinese authorities, and an important step on the path of diocesan reconciliation.”
The appointment of the new bishop in China indicates that the new Pope is continuing one of the most controversial diplomatic policies of the late Pope Francis.
Since seizing power in 1949, the Chinese Communist Party has consistently imposed strict control and suppression on religious activities. The CCP insists on unilaterally appointing bishops under the pretext of national sovereignty, while the Vatican maintains that the Pope has the exclusive authority to appoint successors to bishops.
Some conservative Catholics have criticized the agreement reached between the Vatican and the CCP, viewing it as a compromise to Beijing that betrays the faithful underground believers in China. The Vatican, however, argues that it is the best possible agreement that could be reached and has been regularly renewed since then.
The details of the 2018 agreement have never been made public. The Vatican emphasizes that the Pope retains the ultimate decision-making power and states that the agreement has resolved the decades-long split between the underground church and the CCP-controlled Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.
According to reports from the Associated Press, China’s approximately 12 million Catholics are divided into two factions: one is the state-controlled church that does not recognize the authority of the Pope, and the other is the underground church that has remained loyal to Rome despite decades of persecution.
Reports suggest that there have been instances of Beijing violating the agreement, such as unilateral appointments made without the consent of the Pope. Before the conclave to elect a new Pope, the official CCP-sanctioned Catholic Church in China appointed bishop candidates without approval.
Reuters cited analysis from scholar Michel Chambon, who specializes in the Chinese Church, stating that the appointment on Wednesday indicates that both sides intend to continue implementing the agreement.
The official CCP-sanctioned Catholic Church stated that during the inauguration ceremony, Lin Yuntuan swore to “comply with” Chinese laws and “uphold unity” and “harmony”.