According to the Vatican press office, Paul Liu Honggang, 55, was ordained as the bishop of Datong in the Shanxi province on August 31, 2026, marking another episcopal appointment in the People’s Republic of China made through mutual agreement between the state and the Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV officially appointed him on August 10.
The 2018 Provisional Agreement and Nomination Process
The appointment was executed under the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, as reported by the Vatican press office. Established in 2018, this agreement governs how the Chinese Communist Party and the Vatican cooperate on filling vacant bishop seats across the country. Under this framework, the state first puts forward a candidate with the approval of the party. The Vatican then reviews the nomination, and the candidate is only ordained after receiving formal acceptance from the pope.
Bridging the Historical Church Divide in China
For decades, mainland China featured a fractured religious landscape. According to source reports, the church was split between state-sanctioned patriotic church structures and an underground church loyal directly to the papacy. Over time, the underground hierarchy faced severe aging issues, while many loyal Catholics deeply distrusted bishops belonging to the patriotic association. The current cooperative appointment procedure aims to heal this structural division. Even so, the arrangement remains controversial; critics argue it grants the Communist Party excessive influence over internal church governance.
Did You Know?
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Paul Liu Honggang?
Paul Liu Honggang is a 55-year-old clergyman who was appointed by Pope Leo XIV on August 10, 2026, and ordained as the bishop of Datong in Shanxi province on August 31, 2026.
How does the Vatican-China agreement work?
According to reporting from katholisch.de and the Vatican, the 2018 provisional agreement requires candidates for bishop seats to be nominated with the approval of the Chinese Communist Party and approved by the pope before ordination.
Why is the agreement controversial?
Critics argue that the cooperative appointment model gives the Communist Party too much direct influence over internal ecclesiastical decisions.
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