HONG KONG (SE): It has long been known that the Vatican has had various problems with some sectors of the unofficial Church communities in China.

The driving forces behind Pope Benedict XVI’s removal of a special permission to ordain bishops without reference to the Vatican in his Letter to Chinese Catholics of 2007 was that with the changing times there was no longer a pastoral need, as well as to promote unity with the official communities.

ROME (SE): Father Dong Guanhua was reported by the Rome-based Vatican Insider to have been ordained as a bishop in the unofficial Church diocese of Zhengding, China, in late September.

The report says that he did not consult the local, legitimate bishop, or have permission from the pope or Holy See.