VATICAN (CNS): The Vatican confirmed that Bishop Thomas Chen Tianhao, who AsiaNews reported on November 23, was ordained the new bishop of Qingdao in Shandong province, is in full communion with the pope and that more Vatican-approved nominations would be coming.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, said in a written communique on November 24 that the 58-year-old Bishop Chen was the third bishop to be named and ordained within the regulatory framework of the provisional agreement between China and the Holy See regarding the appointment of bishops.
“Certainly other episcopal consecrations are expected in the future because various processes for new episcopal appointments are underway,” Bruni wrote.
According to AsiaNews, Bishop Chen’s ordination took place in St. Michael’s Cathedral in Qingdao, with Bishop John Fang Xingyao of Linyi, Shandong province, presiding.
Bishop Fang, who is president of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang of Zhoucun, vice president of the Council of Chinese Bishops, and Archbishop Joseph Zhang Xianwang of Jinan, vice president of the liang hui association, which includes the council of bishops and the patriotic association, AsiaNews reported.
Because of the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, the Mass was not open to the public, but participants included 21 priests and more than 200 nuns and lay faithful.
Bishop Chen was born in Pingdu, Shandong province, in 1962, and ordained a priest in 1989.
He served as president of the patriotic association of Qingdao and has been a member of the standing committee of the patriotic association since 2010, AsiaNews said.
