Source: UCANews, Facebook
Date: May 30, 2018
UCANewsreports that the Justice and Peace Commission of Hong Kong issued a statement on May 29 calling on the Chinese government to free Roman Catholic Coadjutor Bishop Cui Tai of the Diocese of Xuanhua in Hebei Province, a pastor of the so-called “underground” church, who was taken away in April 2018 and not seen since. The Commission is asking to allow him to receive medical care and to release other clergies in Hebei Province.
Joseph Zen, Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, posted a message on his Facebook page, appealing to the Chinese government to respect freedom of religion, “stop its inhumane and illegal detention,” and release Coadjutor Bishop Cui Tai.
Since 1993, authorities have repeatedly detained and punished Bishop Cui for illegally preaching or holding illegal religious assemblies, putting him under house arrests or sending him to labor camps.
Sources informed Bitter Winter that the government arranged for him to study in many “red” tourism scenic spots and visit open religious groups, as well as to communicate with bishops and priests from those groups. Commenting on this event, some sources said these government measures were “in actuality ‘house arrest and psychological pressure programs’ under the so-called ‘studying.’”
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, emeritus bishop of Hong Kong, holds a poster with a photo of Bishop Cui Tai. (Photo from Cardinal Zen’s Facebook).
Bitter Winter reports on how religions are allowed, or not allowed, to operate in China and how some are severely persecuted after they are labeled as “xie jiao,” or heterodox teachings. We publish news difficult to find elsewhere, analyses, and debates.
Placed under the editorship of Massimo Introvigne, one of the most well-known scholars of religion internationally, “Bitter Winter” is a cooperative enterprise by scholars, human rights activists, and members of religious organizations persecuted in China (some of them have elected, for obvious reasons, to remain anonymous).
