US embassy cable - 02VATICAN579

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VATICAN 000579 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE (D.MENNUTTI); DRL (T.FARR); EAP/CM 
(M.KOEHLER) 
 
BEIJING PASS AMCONSUL CHENGDU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2012 
TAGS: CH, PHUM, PINR, TW, PHUM, PINR, TW, PHUM, PINR, TW, VT, VTCH, VTCH, religious freedom 
SUBJECT: VATICAN AGENCY TO LAUNCH LENTEN MEDIA APPEAL FOR 
CHINESE CLERICS. 
 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  00579  01 OF 03  061054Z 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON, REASONS 1.5 (B,D) 
 
 1.  (C) FIDES, A VATICAN NEWS AGENCY, IS SET TO LAUNCH A 
LENTEN APPEAL NEXT WEEK FOR THE FREEDOM OF MISSING OR 
DETAINED UNDERGROUND CATHOLIC CLERGY.  FATHER BERNARDO 
CERVELLERA, FIDES DIRECTOR AND CHINA SPECIALIST, PROVIDED 
AMBASSADOR AN ADVANCE LIST OF MORE THAN 30 NAMES IN ORDER TO 
FOREWARN THE WHITE HOUSE BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO 
CHINA.  THE APPEAL WILL COMPRISE SOME 40 CLERGYMEN IN TOTAL, 
WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL CLERIC LINKED TO A DAY OF LENT.  (LENT 
BEGINS FEBRUARY 13 AND LASTS 40 DAYS.)  THE LIST (SEE PARA 5) 
CONSISTS OF UNDERGROUND CATHOLIC BISHOPS AND PRIESTS WHO ARE 
PERSECUTED BY PRC AUTHORITIES ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR REFUSAL TO 
COLLABORATE WITH THE OFFICIAL "CATHOLIC PATRIOTIC 
ASSOCIATION."  THOUGH NOT SEEKING TO EMBARRASS THE PRESIDENT 
DURING THE CHINA VISIT, FIDES WILL LIKELY CAPITALIZE ON MEDIA 
ATTENTION IN ORDER TO HIGHLIGHT ISSUES OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 
IN CHINA. 
 
2. (C) FATHER CERVELLERA ASSERTED THAT HIS VATICAN SUPERIORS 
HAVE APPROVED THIS LENTEN PRAYER INITIATIVE ON BEHALF OF THE 
UNDERGROUND CHURCH. HE CLAIMED THE PERSONAL ENDORSEMENT OF 
CARDINAL SEPE, THE HEAD OF DE PROPAGANDE FIDE, A.K.A. THE 
CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELIZATION OF PEOPLES, WHICH ALSO 
OVERSEES THE FIDES NEWS SERVICE.  (NOTE: DE PROPAGANDE FIDE 
IS THE VATICAN MINISTRY CHARGED WITH THE SPREAD OF 
CATHOLICISM AND THE WELFARE OF FRONTIER CHURCH COMMUNITIES, 
SUCH AS IN CHINA.)  CERVELLERA ADDED HE IS ANGLING FOR A 
PAPAL STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR THE FIDES INITIATIVE, PERHAPS 
DURING THE POPE'S WEEKLY STATEMENT AT THE SUNDAY ANGELUS 
PRAYER.  HOWEVER, NO PAPAL INTERVENTION IS PLANNED AT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  00579  01 OF 03  061054Z 
PRESENT, HE ADMITTED. 
 
3. (C) COMMENT:  FATHER CERVELLERA IS SEEKING TO LINK THE 
FIDES INITIATIVE TO THE FORTY DAYS OF LENT. HENCE, THE 
EFFORT, STILL INCOMPLETE, TO MUSTER FORTY NAMES.  HOWEVER, 
THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT, WHICH FALLS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT, 
IS CLEARLY IN THE FOREGROUND OF CERVELLERA'S THINKING, EVERY 
BIT AS MUCH AS THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR.  CERVELLERA CONFIDED 
TO THE AMBASSADOR THAT HE PERSONALLY GIVES GREAT CREDIT TO 
THE INTERVENTION OF PRESIDENT BUSH FOR THE REDUCED SENTENCE 
-- TWO YEARS RATHER THAN THE DEATH PENALTY -- METED OUT TO A 
CHINESE CONVICTED OF ILLICIT TRAFFICKING (IN BIBLES). 
MOREOVER, HE NOTED GRATEFULLY THE HUMAN RIGHTS APPEAL BY 
AMBASSADOR RANDT IN BEIJING ON BEHALF OF BISHOP SU, AS WELL 
AS OTHER NON-CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS LEADERS. CLEARLY, FATHER 
CERVELLERA WOULD WELCOME A USG ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE PLIGHT 
OF UNDERGROUND CATHOLIC CLERGY. 
 
4.  (U) BACKGROUND:  FATHER CERVELLERA IS A COMMITTED VATICAN 
ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE UNDERGROUND CATHOLIC CHURCH. A 
MISSIONARY PRIEST PREVIOUSLY POSTED TO HONG KONG, CERVELLERA 
MAINTAINS EXTENSIVE CONTACTS WITHIN CHINA. UNDER HIS 
DIRECTION, FIDES, A VATICAN INTERNET NEWS ORGANIZATION, HAS 
BEEN PUSHING AN AGENDA OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, PARTICULARLY IN 
REGARD TO CHINA. 
 
LIST FROM FIDES 
--------------- 
 
5. (C) THE FIDES LIST FOLLOWS. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS ARE DRAWN 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        VATICA  00579  01 OF 03  061054Z 
DIRECTLY FROM THE ORIGINAL FIDES TEXT. CHINESE FAMILY NAMES 
RETAIN THE SPELLING IN THE ORIGINAL ITALIAN TEXT. 
 
A)  MISSING / ARRESTED BISHOPS: 
 
MONSIGNOR JAMES SU ZHIMIN (BAODING, HEBI DIOCESE), 70 YEARS 
OLD. MISSING SINCE HIS 1996 ARREST. 
 
MSGR. FRANCESCO AN SHUXIN (BAODING, HEBEI), 52 YEARS OLD. 
MISSING SINCE HIS 1997 ARREST. 
 
MSGR. LI HONGYE (LUOYANG, HENAN), 81 YEARS OLD.  ARRESTED IN 
2001. 
 
MSGR. HAN DINGXIAN (YONGNIAM/HANDAM, HEBEI), 64 YEARS OLD. 
ARRESTED DECEMBER 1999. HAS SPENT MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS 
TOTAL IN PRISON. 
 
NOTE: NOT PASSED TO ABOVE ADDRESSEE(S) 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2313 
 
PAGE 01        VATICA  00579  02 OF 03  061055Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AIT-03   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      INL-00   DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EAP-00 
      EB-00    FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00  OIC-02 
      OPIC-01  PRS-00   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00    STR-00 
      TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00 
      SAS-00     /011W 
                  ------------------62BE08  061055Z /38 
O 061032Z FEB 02 
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
INFO HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY ROME IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL HONG KONG IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL SHANGHAI IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL SHENYANG IMMEDIATE 
AIT TAIPEI IMMEDIATE 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 
WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 VATICAN 000579 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE (D.MENNUTTI); DRL (T.FARR); EAP/CM 
(M.KOEHLER) 
 
BEIJING PASS AMCONSUL CHENGDU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2012 
TAGS: CH, PHUM, PINR, TW, VT 
SUBJECT: VATICAN AGENCY TO LAUNCH LENTEN MEDIA APPEAL FOR 
CHINESE CLERICS. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  00579  02 OF 03  061055Z 
MSGR. COSMA SHI ENXIANG (YIXIAN, HEBEI), 81 YEARS OLD. 
ARRESTED APRIL 13, 2001. HAS SPENT MORE THAN 30 YEARS IN 
PRISON.  PREVIOUSLY ARRESTED IN DECEMBER 1990 AND RELEASED IN 
1993. 
 
B.  BISHOPS PERIODICALLY DETAINED AND FORBIDDEN OR BLOCKED 
FROM THE EXERCISE OF THEIR MINISTRY. 
 
MSGR. BARTHOLOMEW YU CENGTI (HANZHONG, SHAANXI),  72 YEARS 
OLD.  UNDER HOUSE ARREST SINCE DECEMBER 2001.  FORBIDDEN 
CONTACT WITH OTHER RELIGIOUS. 
 
MSGR. JOSEPH FAN ZHONGLIANG (SHANGHAI), 83 YEARS OLD. 
 
MSGR. HAN JINGTAO (JILIN), 80 YEARS OLD. 
 
MSGR. JULIUS JAI ZHIGUO (ZHENGDING, HEBEI), 66 YEARS OLD. 
 
MSGR. JOHN YANG SHUDAO (FUZHOU, FUJIAN), 82 YEARS OLD. 
ARCHBISHOP YANG SPENT CIRCA 30 YEARS IN PRISON.  ARRESTED IN 
1955 AFTER HIS REFUSAL TO JOIN THE PATRIOTIC CHURCH. 
RELEASED IN 1981.  ARRESTED AGAIN IN 1988, RELEASED THREE 
YEARS LATER. 
 
MSGR. THOMAS ZENG JINGMU (YUJIANG, JIANGXI), 81 YEARS OLD. 
 
MSGR. ZHANG WEIZHU (XINXIANG, HENAN), 43 YEARS OLD.  AN 
ACTIVE PASTOR AND FOUNDER OF TWO RELIGIOUS ORDERS. 
 
MSGR. XIE SHIGUANG (MINGDONG, FUJIAN), 84 YEARS OLD. 
DETAINED OCTOBER 1999, INTERROGATED, AND RELEASED. KEPT UNDER 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  00579  02 OF 03  061055Z 
TIGHT SURVEILLANCE. 
 
MSGR. JAMES LIN XILI (WENZHOU, ZHEJIANG), 82 YEARS OLD. 
ARRESTED SEPTEMBER 1999, RELEASED JANUARY 2002.  FIDES 
REPORTS HIS ARREST WAS PART OF A VIOLENT LOCAL PATRIOTIC 
ASSOCIATION CAMPAIGN AGAINST UNDERGROUND CATHOLICS. 
 
C: MISSING / ARRESTED PRIESTS. 
 
FIDES NOTE:  MOSTLY FROM HEBI, WHERE THE UNDERGROUND CHURCH 
IS STRONGLY CONCENTRATED: 
 
FATHER CUI XINGANG (QINGYUAN). 
 
FR. GUO YIBAO.  ARRESTED DURING EASTER 2000.  IMPRISONED IN 
XUSHUI. 
 
FR. LI JIANBO (MANCHENG), 35 YEARS OLD.  ARRESTED APRIL 19, 
2001 IN XILINHAUTE (INNER MONGOLIA). 
 
FR. LU GENYOU, ALSO SPELLED GENJUN.  ARRESTED MARCH 31, 2001 
BEFORE EASTER.  SENTENCED TO 3 YEARS OF FORCED LABOR IN THE 
PRISON OF GAOYANG. 
 
FR. WANG ZHENHE (ANJIAZHUANG).  ARRESTED APRIL 14, 1999. 
IMPRISONED IN XUSHUI. 
 
FR. YIN ZHENGJUN.  ARRESTED JANUARY 27, 2001 IN BEIHEZHUANG 
(QINGYUAN).  SENTENCED TO 3 YEARS OF REEDUCATION AND FORCED 
LABOR.  IN BAODING PRISON. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        VATICA  00579  02 OF 03  061055Z 
FR. ZHANG CHUNGUANG.  ARRESTED ON EVE OF PENTECOST, 2001.  IN 
XUSHUI PRISON, TOGETHER WITH FR. GUO YIBAO. 
 
TWO INNER MONGOLIA PRIESTS ARRESTED IN 2002: 
 
FR. WANG ZEYI, 31 YEARS OLD. 
FR. ZHANG SULAI, 50 YEARS OLD. 
 
FR. JIANG SUNIAN (ZHEJIANG).  ARRESTED NOVEMBER 23.  FIDES 
REMARKS THAT FR. JIANG SUNIAN IS ONE OF SIX PRIESTS KEPT IN 
CONFINEMENT BY THE WENZHOU POLICE BUT DOES NOT PROVIDE 
ADDITIONAL NAMES. 
 
FR. JOHN GAO KEXIAN (YANTAI, SHANDONG), 73 YEARS OLD. 
CONFINED OCTOBER 1999. 
 
FR. FENG YUNXIANG (FUJIAN).  ARRESTED GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 
2001. 
 
NOTE: NOT PASSED TO ABOVE ADDRESSEE(S) 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2314 
 
PAGE 01        VATICA  00579  03 OF 03  061055Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AIT-03   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      INL-00   DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EAP-00 
      EB-00    FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00  OIC-02 
      OPIC-01  PRS-00   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00    STR-00 
      TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00 
      SAS-00     /011W 
                  ------------------62BE0D  061055Z /38 
O 061032Z FEB 02 
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
INFO HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY ROME IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL HONG KONG IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL SHANGHAI IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL SHENYANG IMMEDIATE 
AIT TAIPEI IMMEDIATE 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 
WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 VATICAN 000579 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE (D.MENNUTTI); DRL (T.FARR); EAP/CM 
(M.KOEHLER) 
 
BEIJING PASS AMCONSUL CHENGDU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2012 
TAGS: CH, PHUM, PINR, TW, VT 
SUBJECT: VATICAN AGENCY TO LAUNCH LENTEN MEDIA APPEAL FOR 
CHINESE CLERICS. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  00579  03 OF 03  061055Z 
 
D: PRIESTS RECENTLY RELEASED BUT LIMITED IN EXERCISE OF THEIR 
MINISTRY 
 
FR. HU TONGXIAN (HEBEI).  ARRESTED AND BEATEN CHRISTMAS 1998. 
 SENTENCED TO 3 YEARS OF REEDUCATION AND FORCED LABOR IN 
GAOYANG.  RELEASED OCTOBER 14, 2001 BUT FORBIDDEN TO MINISTER 
AS A PRIEST. 
 
FR. JI ZENGWEI (BEIHEZHUANG, QINGYUAN, HEBEI). ARRESTED 
DURING ASH WEDNESDAY CEREMONIES, 2000.  RELEASED FEBRUARY 5, 
2001.  SPORADICALLY UNDER HOUSE ARREST. 
 
FR. XIE GUOLIN (XUGUOZHUANG, GAOYANG, HEBEI).  ARRESTED 
NOVEMBER 4, 1999.  ALTERNATED BETWEEN HOUSE ARREST AND JAIL. 
RELEASED JANUARY 22, 2001 DUE TO ILLNESS. 
 
FR. LIAO HAIQING (YUJIANG, JIANGXI), 72 YEARS OLD.  ARRESTED 
JULY 10, 2001. PREVIOUSLY SPENT 17 YEARS IN PRISON IN THE 50S 
AND THE 80S. SPORADICALLY RE-DETAINED AND RE-RELEASED. 
 
THREE PRIESTS FROM SHAANXI ARRESTED NOVEMBER 2, 2001 AND 
ENROLLED FOR REEDUCATION: FATHER DU BAOZANG, FR. ZAN 
JAINZHOU, FR. ZAN SHENGRANG.  RELEASED DECEMBER 7, 2001. 
FORBIDDEN CONTACT WITH PARISHES AND THEIR BISHOP. 
NICHOLSON 
 
NOTE: NOT PASSED TO ABOVE ADDRESSEE(S) 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
 

 2002VATICA00579 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL