Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
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by Gianni Valente
Shanghai (Agenzia Fides) - Today Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Joseph Shen Bin as bishop of Shanghai, in continental China, transferring him from the diocese of Haimen, province of Jiangsu. An appointment which takes on a singular topicality, if one takes into account the history and the situation of the Catholic Church in the People's Republic of China and the recent developments in the relations between the Holy See and the representatives of the Chinese government.
On April 4 (see Fides, 4/4/2023), by order of the Chinese political authorities, Bishop Shen Bin was installed at the head of the diocese of Shanghai, without the Holy See being involved in his transfer from the diocese of Haimen. In the afternoon (Italian time) of this same Tuesday, April 4, the Director of the Vatican Press Office, Matteo Bruni, in a communication to journalists, had only reported that "the Holy See had been informed a few days ago of the decision of the Chinese authorities" to transfer the Bishop, and that same morning he had "learned about the installation from the media". In the interview with Cardinal Parolin published by VaticanNews at the same time as the publication of the appointment (interview also relaunched by Fides Agency and published in L'Osservatore Romano), the Secretary of State of His Holiness describes, among other things, Bishop Shen Bin as an "Esteemed Pastor". Cardinal Parolin explained that after Shen Bin's transfer from the diocese of Haimen to the diocese of Shanghai, it was possible to "carefully evaluate the pastoral situation of the diocese of Shanghai, recognized by the Holy See and which has been without bishop for a long time, as well as the opportunity" to transfer to this see the Bishop who previously led the diocese of Haimen with a pontifical mandate. Joseph Shen Bin was born in 1970 in the city of Qi Dong, into a family with a long Catholic tradition. He studied philosophy at Sheshan Seminary in Shanghai and theology at the National Seminary in Beijing. He was ordained a priest on November 1, 1996, he was parish priest and then also Vicar General in Haimen until 2008.
After the death of Bishop Yu Chengcai, Shen led the diocese as diocesan administrator. Then, on April 21, 2010, he was ordained Bishop of Haimen with a papal mandate and recognition from political authorities. Shen Bin is also considered a bishop by the Chinese government apparatus. In August 2022, the last Assembly of Chinese Catholic representatives elected him President of the body called the "College of Chinese Catholic Bishops". In March, Shen Bin was one of three bishops co-opted into the team of 11 Catholic representatives who participated in the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Bishop Shen Bin participated in two international meetings for peace organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio in Münster and Osnabrück (September 2017) and in Bologna (October 2018). In October 2017, in an interview given to the online newspaper Varican Insider (and which remains to date the most comprehensive interview with the new bishop of Shanghai published in a non-Chinese press organ), Shen Bin recalled that "Twenty years ago, we could not pray publicly for the Pope. We could not mention communion with the Pope in any text, in any formula. Today, at every Mass, we pray for Pope Francis. And we even recite hymns for the Pope, hymns that are no longer used outside of China". In the same interview, the then Bishop of Haimen pointed out that "for a long time we have understood that in China, in order to get things done, it is convenient and sometimes necessary to distinguish between ecclesial matters, questions of faith, and economic and administrative questions, which in themselves do not affect the deposit of faith". In the same interview, Shen Bin added: "We are the branches attached to the vine. We are the members joined to the head, of which Jesus and Saint Paul speak. None of us has ever thought of separating or distinguishing ourselves from the universal Church, or of following paths different from that on which the universal Church walks".
Regarding relations with Chinese political power, Shen Bin pointed out at the time that "the Gospel does not ask us to play the role of antagonists of the established authorities. And Jesus says that we must be cunning like serpents and simple like doves".
Regarding the internal lacerations within the Chinese ecclesial community and the relations with the Catholics of the so-called clandestine communities, he repeated that "we are all brothers, in the one Church. There are problems and wounds, but there is no rupture of brotherhood". Cardinal Parolin, in the aforementioned interview published by VaticaNews, pointed out that Pope Francis, in appointing Shen Bin as head of the Diocese of Shanghai, with a view to the greater good of the diocese and the fruitful exercise of the pastoral ministry of the Bishop. The intention of the Holy Father - added the Cardinal Secretary of State - is fundamentally pastoral and will allow Bishop Shen Bin to work with more serenity to promote evangelization and foster ecclesial communion".
Since taking office as bishop in Shanghai last April, Bishop Shen Bin, among other things, has led the pilgrimage of thousands of Catholics from the diocese of Shanghai to the Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians in Sheshan on May 17 (see Fides, 19/5/2023). On this occasion, the Bishop recited the Rosary as well as the prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan composed in 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI. On Sunday, July 2, Bishop Joseph Shen Bin presided over a solemn liturgical celebration in Shanghai during which 34 catechumens received the first sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist). The liturgy was attended by at least 2,000 faithful. In his homily, Bishop Shen Bin, who presided over the concelebration, encouraged the newly baptized to docilely follow the will of the Lord, who gladdens the lives of his own: "Be a blessing to all those around you", said Bishop Joseph, urging everyone to "follow the example of Christ by going out into the world, accepting others, being the light and the salt of life and living the commandment of Jesus Christ to love one another, in prayer". (Agenzia Fides, 15/7/2023)
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