priest of China’s rapidly growing underground church has been released, church sources confirmed Monday June 6. The United States based Cardinal Kung Foundation, a Catholic human rights group, said 75-year old Father Zhao KeXun, who was administrator in charge of the Diocese of Xuanhua, Hebei province, was "released by the Chinese authorities on June 1, 2005."
It was not immediately on what charges he was arrested on March 30. However "we hope that this release is not an isolated case, but rather the beginning of the release of many dozens of other Roman Catholic bishops, priests, and faithful currently being jailed by the Chinese authorities across China," said Joseph Kung, the President of the Cardinal Kung Foundation.
VATICAN RELATIONS?
"This would show China’s sincerity about improving its relationship with the Vatican." China recently indicated it wants closer relations with the Vatican, under condition it end diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which Beijing views as a renegade province.
The release of Father Zhao KeXun comes shortly after Chine released 7 other priests. Yet human rights groups and church officials fear for the situation of many other priests and other Christian individuals they say are still held in prison camps and jails.
Last month representatives of the underground Catholic Church said one of its leaders may have been killed by feared security forces, BosNewsLife monitored Wednesday, May 11.
AUTHORITIES DENY
Chinese authorities have reportedly denied knowing anything about the fate of 83-year-old Bishop Shi Enxian from Yixian, Hebei province, who disappeared four years ago. AsiaNews, a Catholic oriented website and other media, quoted church officials as saying his fate "might become like" bishops Fan Xueyn and Li Lifang who "died in prison."
Authorities allegedly followed Bishop Shi Enxiang since 1995 and he apparently disappeared in his niece’s home in Beijing on April 13, 2001. Eyewitnesses reportedly saw how two cars with license plates from Xushui, Hebei province, took the bishop and drove away.
Catholics have also demanded more news about the whereabouts of 42-year-old priest Liu Deli who was apparently detained six years ago, although he was not known to have been part of the underground church. In addition there is concern about 83-year old Yao Liang, the Auxiliary Bishop of Xiwanzi, Hebei province. He was arrested March 31 and sent to "re-education" following his initial release in April
Human rights group Open Doors has described the 60 to 80 active Christians in China as the world’s single largest persecuted religious group, although it said the situation has improved in some regions of the Communist state.
