Beijing gets new Catholic bishop, days after Vatican-China deal renewal

A new assistant Catholic bishop for Beijing was ordained on Friday, three days after the Vatican and Chinese officials extended an accord on appointments in China, the Vatican said.

Bishop Matthew Zhen Xuebin, 54, was named to the role by Pope Francis, who approved his nomination within the framework of a diplomatic deal originally struck in 2018 that gives Chinese officials some input into papal appointments.

Some conservative Catholics say the deal gives too much influence to China's ruling communists, who have kept a tight reign on religious practice since taking power in 1949.

But the Vatican stresses that Francis retains final decision-making power and says the accord resolves a decades-long split between an underground church swearing loyalty to the Vatican and the state-supervised Catholic Patriotic Association.

Beijing and the Vatican announced on Tuesday that the accord, previously renewed in two-year increments, had been renewed again for a longer period of four years.

Zhen will assist Bishop Joseph Li Shan, 59, in running the local Church. Zhen was appointed with right of succession, the Vatican said, meaning he will automatically replace Li at the bishop's death or resignation.

The Vatican spokesperson did not immediately respond to a question about why Zhen had been appointed with right of succession, a process the Vatican usually uses when an ageing bishop is expected to retire soon.

Zhen's ordination occurred Friday morning at Beijing's Church of the Saviour, the Vatican news agency Fides reported. Among those taking part were Li, four other Chinese bishops, and about 650 others, the agency said.

Beijing, the world's most populous city with some 22 million residents, has about 100,000 Catholics, according to Vatican statistics. Around China, there are about 5 million Catholics in a total population of 1.4 billion, the Vatican estimates.

The deal furthers 'constructive dialogue' with China

The deal was designed to foster better relations between the Vatican and China, and the Vatican has confirmed its commitment to "furthering respectful and constructive dialogue" with Chinese authorities.

While some conservative Catholics have expressed concern that the deal grants too much influence to China's ruling Communist Party, which has maintained tight control over religious practices since taking power in 1949, the Vatican has defended the arrangement.

The Vatican says Pope Francis retains final decision-making power over the appointment of bishops, despite China's input.

Although the specifics of the deal have never been published, they have been described by diplomatic officials as a compromise aimed at unifying the Catholic Church in China—where religious practice has long been a sensitive issue.