Tribute to Two Prelates Who Remained Faithful to Rome

The two obituaries were published by Fides on January 3, 2018:

Bishop Luc Li Jingfeng, bishop of Fengxiang, in the province of Shaanxi, died on November 17, 2017, at the age of 96. After spending 20 years in laogai, the Chinese gulag, he was liberated then consecrated a bishop in 1983. The Beijing regime recognized him officially in 2004 as a Catholic bishop, despite the fact that he belonged to the underground Church and had never denied his faith or his attachment to Rome.

Bishop Matthieu Yü Chengxin, coadjutor bishop emeritus of Hanzhong, also situated in Shaanxi, died on December 7, 2017. He was 89 years old and was also a member of the underground Church, the only one recognized by Rome. After about fifteen years in forced labor, he was ordained a priest, then consecrated bishop of Hanzhong in Xianxian. He was never recognized by the Communist authorities of Beijing, which only supports the official Church under the control of the Patriotic Association of Chinese Catholics, in connection with government organizations.