Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On Sunday, April 18, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Hohot hosted the episcopal ordination of Bishop Paul Meng Qinglu. Bishop Meng, of the diocesan clergy, is age 48 and has been a priest for 21 years, was approved by the Holy See as Bishop of Hohot and headed the diocese since 2006 as Administrator. The Chinese authorities have approved his consecration.
The liturgy of episcopal ordination was chaired by Bishop Paul Pei Junmin, Diocesan Bishop of Shenyang, classmate and personal friend of the new Bishop. Bishops John Liu Shigong of Jining, Bishop Matthias Du Jiang of Bameng, and Bishop Joseph Li Jing of Ningsia (Yinchuan) were the co-consecrating bishops. All these bishops are in communion with the Holy Father and recognized by the government. Bishop Du Jiang, consecrated in 2006, was officially recognized by the Authority with a formal inauguration ceremony on April 8.
Bishop Meng, a native of Inner Mongolia, was born in 1962 into a Catholic family in Wumeng. Having entered the seminary in Hohot in 1985, he studied theology and was ordained a priest in 1989. Later, he was professor of moral theology and dean of studies at the same seminary. The late Bishop John Baptist Wang Xixian of Hohot, who died in 2005 at age 79, had appointed him Vicar General and later head of the Committee on Church Property and responsible for the construction of new churches. He was able to spend two brief periods of study abroad (in Hong Kong and Belgium). He is the oldest of the young priests of the diocese.
The participation of 3,000 faithful in the solemn ceremony of consecration of bishops, although only 600 are able to enter the Cathedral, and the presence of 80 priests who concelebrated the Eucharist, are an expression of the great joy of the diocesan community for the gift of a new pastor.
The Diocese of Hohot (Archdiocese of Suiyuan) is located in Inner Mongolia, 668 kilometers northwest of Beijing and north of the autonomous region of Ningxia:. It covers a vast territory of 100,000 square kilometers and is an area where members of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Scheut Missionaries) have promoted evangelization since 1883.
Currently, the ecclesiastical district of Hohot has more than 50,000 faithful, 60 priests, nearly 100 religious sisters from 4 religious institutions, and 40 seminarians. Among the social works of the Diocese are some clinics and nursing homes.
Bishop Meng said that they should think about creating some structure to organize the affairs of the Church, the needs of parishes and finances, and matters relating to Church property. Among the priorities of his episcopal ministry, he has mentioned the formation of the clergy. He said: "I think my ordination will make a new dimension emerge and help priests to work together in pastoral and evangelization activity." The bishop also said he was confident in reconciliation within the Catholic community.
In entrusting Bishop Meng and his diocesan community to the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary, all hope that in the spirit of the Letter which the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI addressed to the Church in China in 2007 (No. 12), other vacant dioceses in that noble nation will soon have pastors worthy and able to fulfill the mission that our Lord Jesus Christ entrusted to his Church. (Agenzia Fides 21/04/2010)
