Release of Chinese underground bishop

Bishop Thomas Zeng Jingmu, a prominent leader of China's underground Catholic Church, has been released from custody, according to reports from the MISNA missionary agency. Bishop Zeng, 80, was arrested on 14 September at Hangpu, in the south-eastern province of Jiangxi, and held at a local prison. Every three days members of the Catholic Patriotic Association - the government-approved body that controls the official Church - read out to him China's laws on religion. When he got home, he was instructed not to speak to foreigners, MISNA says. Bishop Zeng has spent a total of 30 years in prison. At present there is no news about the whereabouts of two other senior clerics, Bishop Deng Hui and Fr Liao Haiqing, who were arrested at the same time as Zeng. None has agreed to join the Patriotic Association.

The Tablet
11. november 2000