Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Yidu (Agenzia Fides) – This past October 22, His Excellency Joseph Sun Zhibin, Bishop of the Apostolic Prefecture of Iduhsien (Yiduxian), in the province of Shandong (mainland China), passed away in his hospital room. He was the oldest of the Chinese bishops, at 97 years of age. The Prelate was born into a Catholic family in 1911, the year in which the Republic of China was established, ending the over 2,000 years of imperial rule. In 1923, he began seminary studies in the minor seminary, and was ordained a priest in 1939. In 1953, he was sentenced to four years in prison, on account of his Catholic faith. Once again arrested during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), he was sentenced to forced labor in a shoe factory.
In 1980, following an increase in religious tolerance, he was once again able to carry out pastoral ministry in the Apostolic Prefecture, and dedicated all of his energies to bringing the Church back to life. He was ordained Bishop of Yiduxian in 1988. Bishop Sun had a robust physique, maintaining good health and never suffering any serious illnesses. He was completely sound in mental health, as well, and capable of caring for himself up until his final days.
Following an attack of influenza, in early October 2007, he was taken to the hospital, where the priests and religious of the Prefecture remained at his side in prayer, until his return to the Father's House.
His funeral service was held on October 29, in the Cathedral of Yidu, in the presence of priests, religious, and faithful of the Apostolic Prefecture, in addition to civil authorities. They all came to pay their respects to the elderly Prelate, who many described as a humble and kind pastor, who remained firm in the faith amidst times of trial in the Catholic Church in China. His body will be laid to rest in the new shrine being built 50 kilometers outside Yidu. The Apostolic Prefecture of Iduhsien (Yiduxian) has nearly 12,000 Catholics, many of whom are distributed among rural areas and are ministered to by 6 recently-ordained priests and 10 young religious sisters, who live in the convent of the Immaculate Conception, built four years ago by Bishop Sun. In the last 20 years, the Apostolic Prefecture has built 32 churches and chapels, and there are still many old churches, confiscated by the government, which have still not been restored to the Church. (Agenzia Fides 10/11/2008)
