Vatican City (Fides) - The Holy See has issued a serious warning to China regarding unlawful ordinations of bishops scheduled for tomorrow and in the coming weeks. At 1.30pm today, Saturday June 24, the Holy See Press Room released a statement in which it describes Episcopal ordinations without the Pope's mandate "a painful wound to Church communion". The statement also affirms that the "seriousness" of such an ordination implicates "severe sanctions" laid down by Canon Law. The statement would seem to refer to canon 1382 "a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See."
In view of the situation of conflict and evident manipulation of the Church by the Chinese Catholics Patriotic Association, the statement expresses "surprise" for recent declarations by "Chinese political leaders, expressing a desire for dialogue with the Holy See".
We give here the Press Room statement unabridged. (our English translation)
"In view of many inquiries received by the Holy See Press Room concerning reports of forthcoming Episcopal ordinations in the Peoples Republic of China, we give the following clarifications:
1. An Episcopal ordination without an apostolic mandate is a painful wound to ecclesial communion and a serious violation of canonical discipline.
2. The gravity of such an act, which touches the very constitution of the Church, explains why Canon Law decrees especially severe sanctions, for both the Bishop who consecrates and for the one who receives the consecration.
3. Episcopal ordinations conferred outside communion with the Successor of Peter, place ulterior obstacles on the path of normalization both of the life of the Church in China and of relations between the Peoples Republic of China and the Holy See, so desired by Catholics all over the world.
4. This situation cannot fail to cause surprise after declarations by Chinese political leaders, even recently, expressing a desire for dialogue with the Holy See.
(Fides 24/6/2000)