From The New York Times:
China installed a new bishop today over the objections of the Vatican, prompting Cardinal Joseph Zen, the Roman Catholic bishop of Hong Kong, to issue a blistering statement accusing mainland authorities of having threatened and kidnapped mainland clergy to make them participate in the ritual.
Cardinal Zen said late tonight that the ordination by the government-controlled church whose allegiance to the Vatican has been superseded was more serious than China’s consecration of two bishops last spring over the Vatican’s protests. The Holy See had specifically warned the Chinese government then against any further unapproved ordinations of bishops.
The Vatican raised the prospect at that time of excommunicating Chinese priests who allowed themselves to be consecrated as bishops in defiance of Rome, although the Vatican has not done so.[Full Text]
