Home » Pope Francis approves transfer of Chinese bishop to Diocese of Fuzhou

Pope Francis approves transfer of Chinese bishop to Diocese of Fuzhou

A worshipper waves the flag of China as Pope Francis leaves following the weekly general audience on June 12, 2019, at St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. / Credit: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images

Vatican City, Jan 23, 2025 / 08:45 am (CNA).

TheVaticanannouncedThursdaythatPopeFrancishadapprovedthetransferofBishopJosephCaiBingruifromtheDioceseofXiamentotheDioceseofFuzhou,bothinthesoutheastChineseprovinceofFujian. The59-year-oldCaitookpossessionofthedioceseonJan.23. TheVaticansaidthebishop’scandidacywasapprovedbyPopeFrancisonJan.15underthetermsofthe“ProvisionalAgreement,”betterknownastheVatican-Chinadeal. CaiwasconsecratedbishopofXiamenwithpapalandgovernmentapprovalin2010afterservingasdiocesanadministratorfrom1996. AftergrowingupinaCatholicfamily,Caiwasordainedapriestin1992. Lastweek,theVaticanannouncedthatPopeFrancishaderectedanewdioceseinChinaandappointedFatherAnthonyJiWeizhongasitsfirstbishop. ThepopedecidedlastOctobertosuppresstheDioceseofFenyanginmainlandChina,whichwasoriginallyerectedin1946byPopePiusXII,a