A newly appointed Catholic bishop who publicly resigned from the body that oversees China's state-sanctioned church has reportedly been detained.
Thaddeus Ma Daqin announced he was quitting all of his positions in the Catholic Patriotic Association (CPA) in his ordination speech in Shanghai on Saturday, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
"With this ordination, I will be devoting my heart and soul to the Episcopal ministry and to evangelism. Hence, there are some positions that will be inconvenient for me to hold on to. From today's ordination onwards, I will no longer be a member of the CPA," Bishop Ma told the congregation, in quotes carried by Xinhua.
The announcement, made in front of several state officials, was seen by many as a rebuke to China's communist rulers. Several news organizations, including the Catholic News Agency (CNS), reported that he was taken away and detained hours after his speech.
UCANews reported that priests and nuns in Shanghai have since received a text message from Bishop Ma's cell phone claiming to be sent by him. The author of the message described himself as being "mentally and physically exhausted" and needing "a break" to make "a personal retreat."
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário