6 f! ` l' G* P7 }% s, j( o7 H5 K中国和梵蒂冈在主教任命等问题上存在分歧，双方至今未建立外交关系。+ S2 e1 T) {4 {+ K+ D2 F) U
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China detains three underground priests, group says ; s) G& E/ K6 @* NSun Jul 29, 2007 % C% S- i m H$ @: ]9 [) A
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BEIJING (Reuters) - China detained three "underground" Catholic priests unwilling to serve a state-controlled body, a U.S. group has reported, as Beijing and the Vatican press their claims on religious controls.8 k" c% f& I- P2 Q. O" ?) G
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The three men were caught by police in north China's Inner Mongolia region, having fled there from neighboring Hebei province, the Cardinal Kung Foundation said in a statement emailed late on Saturday. 6 w, E! W$ J& O n j# G3 N f9 K% g9 J9 ~+ A9 s! W. e6 m/ R
The detentions came as the Vatican and Beijing test their boundaries of authority following a letter on China's Catholics from Pope Benedict.% y- a# Z$ i2 ?! ]4 h3 I
+ I. g# K' s6 n3 yChina's 12 million Catholics share the same basic religious beliefs but are politically divided between "above-ground" churches approved by the ruling Communist Party and "underground" churches that reject government ties.3 e8 |; N. N5 g* K! s( l9 I7 o
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On June 30, Pope Benedict issued a letter that urged reconciliation between the two sides. But he said the church must have the power to run its own affairs, including appointing bishops, possibly with government consultation. & t$ l4 ]6 ?7 i- j3 b. }# v" Y2 ~, G* [; F+ }
The Chinese government has often rejected such claims as interference in "domestic affairs" but has given no detailed public response to the letter. & X$ N; r$ r0 \% I% ?+ g0 z, T4 n" B
Parts of Hebei, the priests' home province, are a stronghold of "underground" churches. ( T/ s" M5 r1 ^' T1 U {" X Q8 j6 l0 f' n
The Cardinal Kung Foundation said the three had refused to join the Catholic Patriotic Association, the state-controlled body that seeks to control church affairs.1 X& B6 r! v6 m; N2 @
0 H/ l* k# j# M9 B* e% w) f, i' `Plain clothes police detained the priests -- Liang Aijun, Wang Zhong and Gao Jinbao -- on July 24 and they have been transferred to an unknown location, the Foundation said.9 y& l7 ]4 B `: w. P
: D3 N* k$ s5 b4 k; s"They'd been hiding for quite a while when they were hunted down," the head of the Foundation, Joseph Kung, told Reuters by phone.% r7 q i4 q/ e% G- D
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Kung said he did not know if the men have been charged. Another underground priest, Cui Tai, had been detained in Hebei following a minor motorbike accident, he said.7 B/ Q* l; G% Y7 m8 J6 F2 N
+ i% s7 _7 O4 m3 x3 eSometimes "underground" clergy are released after days or weeks; sometimes they are held for much longer. 3 L# C, i' w3 ]* O5 ]! D0 w% t* o2 f& D7 i x
The Vatican is waiting to see how China handles the appointment of a new bishop for Beijing, the country's most prominent diocese.3 {* ^0 `; B3 n' X% D, a( f
6 W0 a) y- N& `9 U4 yRome has said a nominee proposed by the state-registered diocese, Father Li Shan, could be acceptable and has urged him to seek papal approval.. E4 r; f! R# u3 t6 _: u- d
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But an editorial in a Beijing newspaper on Friday said China rejects the Vatican's demand that it stop appointing bishops without papal approval.* M7 Y2 G# V$ `0 l6 l
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These days, most state-approved bishops have also won Vatican blessing. The Vatican has not had diplomatic ties with Beijing since 1951 and instead recognizes Taiwan, the self-ruled island that China regards as an illegitimate breakaway.
