The Holy See expressed satisfaction regarding the civil recognition of Bishop Emeritus Joseph Zhang Weizhu of the Apostolic Prefecture of Xinxiang in mainland China. The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, stated this recognition is a significant step in the communal journey of ecclesiastical circumscription. This development follows dialogue between the Holy See and Chinese authorities. The episcopal ordination of Bishop Francis Li Jianlin of Xinxiang took place on Friday, December 5th. Bishop Li Jianlin's appointment was approved by the Pope within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China, which also involved accepting Bishop Zhang Weizhu's resignation.
7 days ago
The Holy See announced the ordination of Father Francis Li Jianlin as Bishop of the Apostolic Prefecture of Xinxiang on December 5, 2025, following his appointment by Pope Leo XIV in August.1 This came after the Pope accepted the resignation of Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu, the previous leader of the prefecture, who is now 67 years old.2 Chinese authorities subsequently granted civil recognition to Zhang as Bishop Emeritus, a move the Vatican described as a positive outcome of ongoing dialogue.1
The transition marks the end of a prolonged deadlock in the region, where tensions between the underground Church and state-approved structures have persisted.2 Bishop Li's consecration occurred without Zhang's presence, as he remains detained by authorities since his 2021 arrest.3
The Holy See Press Office, through Director Matteo Bruni, expressed satisfaction with the civil recognition of Zhang, viewing it as an "important step" in unifying the ecclesiastical community in Xinxiang.1 This development is framed as a result of the 2018 Provisional Agreement between the Vatican and China, which facilitates joint bishop appointments.2
Vatican officials highlight the appointment's alignment with efforts to regularize China's diocesan map and reduce unilateral actions by Beijing.2 Pope Leo XIV's approval of Li's candidacy, despite initial state announcements during the papal interregnum, underscores Rome's commitment to the agreement's pastoral goals.2 3
Supporters argue that such recognitions represent incremental advances toward reconciliation among China's divided Catholic communities, estimated at ten million faithful.3
Bishop Zhang Weizhu was secretly ordained in 1991 with papal approval but operated entirely underground, as neither he nor the Xinxiang prefecture received state acknowledgment.3 He faced years of harassment, including house arrest and detention since May 2021, alongside priests and seminarians accused of registration violations.3
In April 2025, Chinese authorities, via the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA), unilaterally announced Li as bishop of a parallel state-created "Diocese of Xinxiang" during the vacancy after Pope Francis's death.2 This was perceived as a challenge to Vatican authority, though Cardinal Pietro Parolin later claimed papal pre-approval.2
Zhang's early resignation and the state's supportive statement affirming his patriotism have raised questions about potential pressure on him, given his history of defiance.2
The events have sparked anguish among underground faithful in Xinxiang, who see the transition as deepening divisions rather than healing them.3 An anonymous local priest described Li's ordination as "opening new wounds," citing Zhang's exclusion and ongoing family separation.3
Critics, including Cardinal Joseph Zen, argue the Provisional Agreement emboldens Beijing's crackdown on unregistered clergy, leading to increased detentions and surveillance.3 Human rights reports note a pattern of harassment targeting those loyal to Rome over state bodies like the CPCA.3
Some observers question whether Zhang freely resigned or authorized the patriotic statement, viewing it as possible coercion amid his detention.2 Local Catholics worry about Bishop Li's ability to minister freely and maintain ties with underground communities.2
The Xinxiang case illustrates the 2018 agreement's complexities, with Vatican gains in jurisdiction clashing against underground suffering.2 While Rome sees it as suppressing a state pseudo-diocese and securing Zhang's recognition, it highlights uneven implementation.2
Broader debates question the deal's effectiveness, as roughly a dozen joint appointments have occurred, yet religious freedom issues persist.3 Future trust may hinge on Beijing's transparency about Zhang's status and Li's pastoral autonomy.3
The episode under Pope Leo XIV signals continued Vatican engagement, but it rekindles calls for stronger protections for China's persecuted Catholics.2 3
Examine how the 2018 Vatican‑China agreement shapes episcopal legitimacy
Episcopal legitimacy in the Catholic Church hinges on the unity of the episcopate with the Successor of Peter, ensuring that bishops exercise their ministry in full hierarchical communion. This principle, rooted in the sacramental structure of the Church, underscores that valid ordination alone is insufficient without the apostolic mandate from the Pope, which guarantees ecclesial unity and avoids schism. In the context of China, where state interference has historically complicated bishop appointments, these teachings highlight the tensions between religious freedom and civil oversight. While direct sources on the 2018 Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China are not available here, the pre-existing Catholic doctrine provides essential context for understanding how such an accord would seek to align episcopal ordinations with Church norms, resolving illicit consecrations and fostering reconciliation.
Catholic teaching unequivocally affirms that the appointment of bishops is a prerogative of the Pope, exercised as supreme spiritual authority to preserve the Church's unity. As articulated in the Code of Canon Law (canon 1382), conferring or receiving episcopal ordination without the pontifical mandate constitutes a grave violation, inflicting a "painful wound upon ecclesial communion." This sanction applies to both the ordaining bishop and the recipient, emphasizing that legitimacy requires not only valid sacramental ordination—performed by validly ordained bishops using the proper rite—but also canonical legitimacy through communion with the Holy See.
In China, this principle has been particularly challenged. Pope Benedict XVI's 2007 Letter to the Catholic Church in China describes a landscape where some bishops were ordained without papal approval due to governmental pressures, leading to a divided episcopate: "legitimate" bishops in communion with Rome (often clandestine to avoid state control), illicitly ordained ones later legitimized by the Pope, and a small number remaining illegitimate yet validly ordained. He notes that these illicit bishops, while able to administer sacraments validly, exercise their ministry "illegitimately" without full communion, depriving the Church of spiritual enrichment. The Holy See's approach has been pastoral: considering the "sincerity of their sentiments and the complexity of the situation," the Pope has granted legitimacy to some, urging public acknowledgment and signs of unity with Peter to heal divisions. This framework prioritizes reconciliation while upholding doctrine, as illicit ordinations "demean the Petrine and episcopal ministries" by subjecting them to non-ecclesial authorities.
Pope Pius XII reinforced this in Ad Apostolorum Principis (1958), declaring that "no authority whatsoever, save that which is proper to the Supreme Pastor, can render void the canonical appointment granted to any bishop," and prohibiting any group from nominating or consecrating without the Apostolic See's mandate. Such acts, he warned, fracture the Church's apostolic succession and communion, a concern echoed in Vatican II's Lumen Gentium, which states that bishops enter the episcopal college through sacramental consecration and hierarchical communion with its head.
The Chinese episcopate's situation, as detailed in Benedict XVI's letter, illustrates how state involvement has led to incompatible structures, such as the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association's control over appointments, rendering the national bishops' conference unrecognizable by the Holy See due to its exclusion of "clandestine" bishops and inclusion of illegitimate ones. Benedict praised the fidelity of Chinese bishops who preserved apostolic succession amid persecution, many suffering imprisonment or martyrdom, yet lamented the "undue control" by unbaptized officials over ecclesial decisions. He advocated for dialogue, expressing hope for an accord allowing the Holy See "complete freedom to appoint bishops" while addressing civil recognition needs, such as candidate selection, publication of appointments, and cooperation among dioceses. This vision aligns with international norms viewing bishop appointments as integral to religious freedom.
The 2011 Declaration from the Dicastery for Legislative Texts further clarifies canon 1382's application, stressing the Holy See's efforts to prevent illicit ordinations through study and intervention, as they rupture communion with the Roman Pontiff. In China, where "various episcopal ordinations without pontifical mandate" occurred, this underscores the gravity: such acts violate Vatican II's teaching that bishops cannot assume office without apostolic communion. These documents collectively frame the pre-2018 context as one demanding resolution to legitimize the episcopate, protect the faithful from conscience issues (e.g., uncertainty about a bishop's status), and enable free faith expression.
Though specifics of the 2018 Provisional Agreement—reportedly allowing joint Vatican-China input on bishop candidates while reserving papal veto rights—are absent from these sources, the doctrinal principles suggest it would shape episcopal legitimacy by institutionalizing papal involvement to end illicit ordinations. Benedict XVI's call for "respectful and open dialogue" to overcome difficulties, benefiting the Catholic community and social cohesion, prefigures such an accord. By ensuring all future bishops receive the pontifical mandate, the agreement would align Chinese practice with universal norms, legitimizing the episcopate and integrating "clandestine" and previously illicit bishops into full communion. This would enrich the Church, as Benedict envisioned, by uniting valid ordinations with canonical legitimacy, allowing bishops to exercise teaching, sanctifying, and governing roles (munus docendi, sanctificandi, regendi) in pastoral charity.
However, challenges persist: the sources warn against any "independent" Church model incompatible with Catholic unity, and emphasize that civil recognition should not compromise religious autonomy. The Holy See's pastoral concern for China's suffering faithful—acknowledging their "faithfulness... sometimes at the price of grave sufferings" (Phil 1:29)—guides this process, urging unequivocal signs of communion post-legitimation.
The 2018 agreement, building on these teachings, represents a step toward resolving China's episcopal fractures by embedding the papal mandate in the appointment process, thereby restoring legitimacy and unity. Without direct sources on its implementation, the enduring Catholic principles affirm that true legitimacy flows from hierarchical communion, safeguarding the Church's mission amid complex socio-political realities. This dialogue honors the blood of martyrs and the grace preserving apostolic succession in China, inviting continued prayer for reconciliation.