The Pope has approved yet another bishop for a Chinese diocese under the terms of the secretive Sino-Vatican deal, but in doing so has ceded authority to Beijing over the territory of the diocese.
Nestled in the Holy See press bulletin on 30th July was an announcement about the consecration of Father Francis Xavier Duan Yongkun as coadjutor of the Diocese of Bameng, located in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
As with last week’s consecration of a Chinese bishop, Pope Leo reportedly approved the move on 15th June, but it was only publicised on the day of his consecration in China.
