Police took into custody four priests from
the Diocese of Heze (Caozhou, Shandong) and are holding them in
isolation and without food in a prison in Dongming County.
Catholics in
China have called on the Holy See and the universal Church to intervene
to free them.
The clergymen were seized and arrested in late night on Wednesday (Aug. 3) at a house in Luquan (Dongming County), where they were holding a spiritual retreat for fellow priests.
The clergymen were seized and arrested in late night on Wednesday (Aug. 3) at a house in Luquan (Dongming County), where they were holding a spiritual retreat for fellow priests.
Security police climbed over the
walls of the house and entered the premises claiming that they were
looking for “thieves”.
Instead, they caught the four priests asleep and
forced them to go with them. Now Fr Wang Chengli, 48 and diocesan
administrator, Fr Zhao Wuji, 50s, Fr Li Xianyang, 34, and Fr Sun
Guichun, 38, are in prison.
Police has refused people the right to visit them and has denied the four priests food and water for one day and two nights after being held, in order to force them to sign up with the government-sanctioned Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, a body the Chinese Communist government set up to induce Catholics to break away from the pope.
Police has refused people the right to visit them and has denied the four priests food and water for one day and two nights after being held, in order to force them to sign up with the government-sanctioned Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, a body the Chinese Communist government set up to induce Catholics to break away from the pope.
Local
sources told AsiaNews that the priests refused to sign.
Meanwhile, government officials have been gathering “evidence” to charge the priests, trying even to bribe the faithful or threaten them in order to turn them against the clergymen.
Some of the faithful have tried to talk to the police to get the four priests released, but to no avail. Instead, they found out that the four men were subjected to interrogations by officials from national security, local police and the Religious Affairs Bureau.
Members of local underground Catholic communities said they hope that the Church and Holy See will help them save the priests’ lives.
Meanwhile, government officials have been gathering “evidence” to charge the priests, trying even to bribe the faithful or threaten them in order to turn them against the clergymen.
Some of the faithful have tried to talk to the police to get the four priests released, but to no avail. Instead, they found out that the four men were subjected to interrogations by officials from national security, local police and the Religious Affairs Bureau.
Members of local underground Catholic communities said they hope that the Church and Holy See will help them save the priests’ lives.
They
urge the universal Church to show its support and pray for the release
of the prisoners so that everyone can adhere to the principles of truth
and continue to bear witness to our faith.