A new bishop will be installed in the Diocese of Changzhi, China, in November, with the approval of the Holy See, the AsiaNews service reports.
Bishop-designate Peter Ding Lingbin will be ordained on November 10 in the diocesan cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul. He had been named by the Vatican two years ago, but his installation was delayed by resistance from Beijing.
The announcement of the bishop’s ordination appeared to lend new credibility to reports that the Vatican is close to an agreement with Beijing that would resolve a long impasse over the appointment of new bishops. The ordination in Changzhi could be the first result of a reported agreement in which the Vatican will recognize several bishops appointed by the government, and the Chinese regime in turn will give the Holy See veto power over future episcopal appointments. (The Vatican has not confirmed that an agreement is imminent, nor discussed the terms of a proposed accord.)
AsiaNews reports that some Chinese Catholics anticipate that the ordination in Changzhi will be followed soon by another bishop’s installation in the diocese of Chengdu. In that diocese, too, the Vatican has already named the new bishop (Msgr. Joseph Tang Yuange), but his ordination has not yet been scheduled.
source: Catholic Culture