China detains Vatican appointed Catholic bishop for quitting official post

Beijing, July 11 (ANI): A newly ordained bishop in China has reportedly been arrested after he announced that he was quitting a body that oversaw the country's state-sanctioned Catholic Church.

According to the BBC, Thaddeus Ma Daqin, Shanghai's auxiliary bishop, announced his resignation from China's Patriotic Catholic Association at his ordination mass on Saturday.

Bishop Ma told a 1,000-strong congregation that he was stepping down from the governing body to focus on his new responsibilities, the report said.

There has been longstanding tension between Beijing and the Vatican over recognizing Catholic bodies in China

The Vatican, which appointed Bishop Ma, does not recognize the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA). The Chinese church in turn rejects the Pope's authority.

Rumour suggest that Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin had been taken to the Sheshan Seminary, the old church on the outskirts of Shanghai, where he was trained to be a priest.

According to analysts, the move has been seen as a challenge to Chinese state control over Catholic churches and clergy. (ANI)