China Arrests Priests (Again)

Joseph Grieboski of the Institute on Religion and Policy just sent me this press release from the Cardinal Kung Foundation:

Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A. – Seven priests belonging to the Diocese of Zhengding, Heibei were arrested at 5:30 pm April 27 Bejing time in Wuqiu Village of Jinzhou city. These seven priests had traveled from their parishes for a religious retreat conducted by Bishop Jia Zhiguo who had just been released from 24-hour surveillance during the period of approximately March 30 to April 25 when Pope John Paul II was dying and when the new Pope Benedict XVI was elected.

The mass arrest of priests was made by the Security Bureau of Shijiszhuang, officers of the religious bureau, and dozens of police riding in nine police cars. Bishop Jia was warned by the Public Security and religious bureaus not to initiate any religious activities. The seven priests were sent to the Security Bureau of their respective parishes as stated below.

The arrested priests are: (All ages are approximated) Fathers WANG Dingshan (50), LI Qiang (31), and LIU Wenyuan (35) from Gaocheng. Father Zhang Qingcai (45) from Wuji County. Father LI Suchuan (40) from Zhaoxian. Father PEI Zhenping (43) from Luancheng. Father Yin Zhengsong (32) from Dingzhou.

Joseph Kung, the President of the Cardinal Kung Foundation, said: “it defies logic. How could the Chinese government on one hand proclaim to Pope Benedict XVI and the world their willingness to improve the relationship between China and the Vatican, and on the other hand keep arresting the Pope’s priests? It is quite obvious that the desire expressed by the Chinese government to improve its relationship with the Vatican is less than sincere.”

Well, they are Communists. I know that even among political conservatives, the ascription of wicked behavior to Communists because they are Communists is no longer done, but their being Communists does accurately explain why they act like Communists.