Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo blesses refugee Christians at Barakhama in Kandhamal in January 2008. / Credit: Anto Akkara Ranchi, India, Oct 11, 2023 / 15:00 pm (CNA). Tens of thousands of mourners in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state in eastern India, bid farewell to Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo, Asia’s first tribal cardinal, Oct. 11 at a three-hour-long requiem Mass led by 27 bishops and attended by thousands.Toppo, an outspoken advocate for the exploited tribals and the poor, left a lasting legacy as was evidenced by the thousands of people at the funeral and those who lined the 18-mile route holding flowers in his honor the day before, on Oct. 10.At the funeral, Hemant Soren, chief minister of Jharkhand state, along with members of the cabinet and legislators laid white floral wreaths on the coffin, already draped with India’s national flag before a ceremonial gun salute by the police. Coffin of Cardinal Toppo drapped with Indian national flag. Credit: Anto AkkaraArchbishop Felix Toppo of Ranchi presided over the funeral service, which was interrupted by the Jharkhand government’s tribute to Cardinal Toppo, former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI).Approximately 30,000 people assembled on the grounds of Loyola College and nearby St. Peter’s Seminary, and nearly 150,000 more watched the livestreamed funeral service across the country, while thousands more viewed the televised broadcast of the ceremony. Thousands attended the funeral of Cardinal Telesphore Toppo in Ranchi, India, on Oct. 11, 2023. Credit: Courtesy of Anto Akkara “The people were touched by our cardinal’s humility, simplicity, and social comment to the poor irrespective of their faith,” said Archbishop Felix Toppo, who had succeeded Cardinal Toppo as archbishop of Ranchi in 2018 after being transferred from Jamshedpur.Those who lined the funeral route came for a final glimpse of the 84-year-old Cardinal Toppo, who died on Oct. 4 at Father Constant Leavan’s Hospital in Mandar. His body was brought to St. Mary’s Cathedral in Ranchi in a solemn procession lasting more than four hours and accompanied by a cavalcade of 500 motorbikes and cars.Many more queued up at the cathedral on Oct. 11 from 3 p.m. until Toppo’s body was taken to the funeral service at the nearby Loyola College grounds where a massive tent with a capacity to seat more than 20,000 had been erected. While 27 bishops attended the funeral, most of the top leadership of the Church in India was missing, including four cardinals from India, due to the ongoing Synod of the Bishops at the Vatican.“Cardinal Toppo’s journey in the service of faith and humanity was one marked by humility, devotion, and unwavering commitment,” the CBCI had said in a press release soon after his passing. Hailing from an Oraon tribal family of eight children, Toppo was ordained as a priest in 1969 and appointed bishop of Dumka Diocese in 1978 after theological studies at Urbania College in Rome. He was elevated as archbishop of Ranchi in 1985.In 2003, Pope John Paul II named him a cardinal. Political commentators at the time remarked that the action was

Indian Cardinal Telesphore Toppo arrives for a meeting of pre-conclave on March 9, 2013, at the Vatican. / Credit: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images CNA Staff, Oct 6, 2023 / 12:25 pm (CNA). Pope Francis sent a message of condolence following the death of Archbishop Emeritus Cardinal Telesphore Toppo of Ranchi, India, in an Oct. 5 telegram to the local Church in India. “Having learned with sadness of the death of Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, archbishop emeritus of Ranchi, please accept my heartfelt condolences, which I extend also to the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the archdiocese,” Pope Francis said.Toppo died at the age of 84 following three months in the hospital, finally succumbing to cardiac arrest on Oct. 4, according to Vatican News.Toppo was the “first and only cardinal of the tribal communities of Asia,” Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, said in an Oct. 5 letter following his death. Pope Francis said in his telegram: “I recall with immense gratitude the late cardinal’s years of dedicated priestly and episcopal ministry to the local churches of Dumka and Ranchi, as well as his contributions to the wider Church in India and to the Apostolic See.”“His service was always marked by zeal for the spread of the Gospel, devotion to the Holy Eucharist, and generous pastoral care of the poor and those in need,” the Holy Father said. “To all who mourn Cardinal Toppo’s passing in the sure hope of the resurrection, I cordially impart my blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Lord,” he concluded.Born in Chainpur, India, and according to La Croix, a member of the tribal Oraon community, Toppo was ordained a priest on May 3, 1969. He studied for the priesthood at the Regional Major Seminary of St. Albert’s College in Ranchi and continued his studies at St. Xavier’s College in Ranchi, earning a bachelor’s degree, and at Ranchi University, earning a master’s degree in history. Toppo also went to Rome to study theology at the Pontifical Urbaniana College.He was first elevated to the episcopate in 1978, when he was ordained bishop of Dumka in eastern India. Toppo served both as a teacher and headmaster at St. Joseph’s High School in Torpa. In 1984, he was appointed coadjutor archbishop of Ranchi and succeeded his predecessor on Aug. 25, 1985, when he was installed. He served in that role until June 24, 2018. Appointed cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003, Toppo participated in both conclaves that elected Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. 

Taiwan’s Ambassador to the Holy See Matthew Lee speaks Oct. 5, 2023, at a reception with members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican. Lee underlined that “Taiwan will do whatever we can to remain on the road of peace.” / Credit: Embassy of the Republic of China to the Holy See Vatican City, Oct 5, 2023 / 13:20 pm (CNA). Taiwan’s ambassador to the Holy See spoke Thursday about the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, urging the necessity of democracies to “hold firm in resisting authoritarian aggression together.”Speaking at a reception on Oct. 5 with members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican, Ambassador Matthew Lee underlined that “Taiwan will do whatever we can to remain on the road of peace.”“It is my firm belief that preventing a war beforehand is much more critical than stopping a war afterwards,” Lee said.“The ravaging conflict in Ukraine has shown us the cruelty of war, which brings nothing but atrocity to the world. Quoting the Holy Father’s words, ‘in order to have true human development, we need to work tirelessly to avoid war and to be at the service of peace,’” he added.Vatican City State is the only remaining country in Europe that recognizes Taiwan as a country. Bishop Norbert Pu of Kiayi, Taiwan, told CNA at the event that the Holy See’s diplomatic recognition of Taiwan is very important not only to Taiwanese Catholics but also to all of the Taiwanese people.“We really hope that we will be recognized all over the world,” he added.The Taiwanese bishop is a delegate in the Synod on Synodality assembly taking place at the Vatican this month. Cardinal Stephen Chow of Hong Kong and two bishops from mainland China are also participating in the assembly. The Holy See has had formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, formally called the Republic of China (ROC), since 1922, while the Church has not had an official diplomatic presence on the mainland People’s Republic of China (PRC) since it was officially expelled by Beijing in 1951.“Taiwan and the Holy See share warm and friendly relations which have been growing continuously for over 81 years,” Lee said at the reception. “We are extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve together to contribute to the staunch promotion of peace, justice, evangelization, and humanitarian efforts around the globe.”Archbishop Angelo Zani, the Vatican Library’s archivist and librarian, also spoke at the Taiwan embassy event following his visit to Taiwan earlier this year.The embassy reception was an early celebration of Taiwan’s national day on Oct. 10. The day marks the uprising in 1911 that ultimately led to the establishment of the Republic of China before it moved to the island of Taiwan.The island, fewer than 110 miles off the coast of China and home to a population of more than 23 million people, has maintained a vibrant democracy with robust civil liberties despite increased pressure from Beijing regarding the island’s status.Only 14 states worldwide still have full

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to the his supporters during a political event organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the GMIT College Grounds on March 25, 2023, in Davangere, India. / Credit: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images Thrissur, India, Oct 4, 2023 / 13:45 pm (CNA). An elderly Catholic priest in India’s Kerala state was suspended from priestly duties for joining India’s ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party or Indian People’s Party), which is known for pursuing a Hindu nationalist agenda.The BJP is the party of Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi. The priest’s action took place at a time of rising persecution of Christians in India. According to the United Christians Forum (UCF), in the first eight months of 2023, 525 incidents of violence against Christians have been reported in 23 states of India.“There was no option but to act, as it has become a scandal to the faithful,” Bishop John Nellikunnel of the Diocese of Idukki told CNA about the Oct. 2 suspension of Father Kuriakose Mattam, vicar of St. Thomas Parish of Mankua.“His action violated the canon law, which prohibits priests from joining political parties without permission,” Nellikunnel said.Elaborating further, Nellikunnel noted: “It seems that Father Kuriakose, who is close to retirement [he will be 75 in six months], was misled into joining the BJP. As the news spread, the priest was also disturbed. So, he was moved out.”Father Jins Karackattu, spokesperson for the diocese, told CNA that a couple of local Catholics who are actively associated with the BJP had “lured” the elderly priest into joining the BJP two weeks ago, promising him a quick repair of roads in the area.When Idukki district BJP leaders made public on Oct. 2 the photos and videos of the elderly vicar of the remote parish “taking BJP membership” on the church premises, parishioners rushed to the church.“As the news spread, Father Kuriakose was agitated and locked himself up. Diocesan officials rushed and shifted him to the retirement home for priests,” a local Catholic said.“We welcome the action by the diocese. The BJP propaganda is embarrassing for the Christian community,” Father Jacob Palackappilly, deputy secretary general of Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council, told CNA.“Their statement about the ‘entry of the Catholic priest to BJP’ is very funny. The party is trying to fool the Christians with such gimmicks. There should be no confusion as to the agenda of the BJP with Christians being harassed and persecuted under their rule in several states,” Palackappilly said. BJP leaders have of late made a push to reach out to Christians in Kerala. While Modi visited the Sacred Heart Cathedral in New Delhi on Easter, BJP leaders claimed to have visited 10,000 churches and Christian homes in Kerala offering “Easter greetings.” Kerala is home to nearly 7 million Christians who trace their faith to St. Thomas the Apostle, who landed on the Kerala coast in 52 A.D. The BJP is not represented among Kerala’s 20 seats in the national Parliament, nor in the 140-member Assembly of Kerala.KS Aji, of the

John Dayal (middle) and activists in July 2022 in New Delhi to mark the anniversary of Jesuit Father Stansamy, who died in police custody on trumped up terrorism charges. / Credit: Anto Akkara Kochi, India, Sep 26, 2023 / 17:30 pm (CNA). Christian leaders in India said that a Sept. 21 meeting with the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) did little to reassure them that the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is serious about addressing the ongoing persecution of Christians in the country.“While the positive is that there is some conversation, I do not set hopes very high,” said John Dayal, an outspoken Catholic activist and spokesperson for the United Christian Forum (UCF), a human rights organization that runs a toll-free service to record atrocities against Christians and extend support to the victims.Iqbal Singh Lalpura, chairman of the NCM, met last week with Dayal and a delegation that included UCF president Michael Williams, coordinator A C Michael, Tehmina Arora of Alliance Defending Freedom, and Siju Thomas, a lawyer. The commission, which acts as the watchdog of minority rights in the country, “has asked us to submit more details of the issues we have raised in the letter to the prime minister,” the UCF said in a press release following the meeting.The UCF press statement also noted that commission chairman Lalpura, a former leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), assured the delegation that the commission will work to address cases of persecution of Christians and proposed that a “joint team to tour some of the areas where such communal issues are regularly occurring.”Dayal told CNA Sunday that it is not clear that the government is serious about pursuing cases of violence against Christians.“The chair wants the Christians to do the work and then police will investigate. He did not explain how communal violence data will be collected if government agencies do not,” said Dayal of the meeting that was organized in response to a UCF letter to Prime Minister Modi shortly after Easter.Dayal further lamented that “the commission has no Christian member. Christians are now [under] the charge of the Buddhist member, a lady from Ladakh” in the northern Himalayas bordering China.Under the provisions of the NCM Act of 1992, each of the six religious minorities of India (Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Muslims, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians) are to be represented in the autonomous commission for three years.The NCM chairman, Dayal noted, “also confessed that Prime Minister [Modi] himself had removed the 15-point program” for the welfare of religious minorities saying, “all development is for everyone without bias. So why special reservations?” Data on anti-Christian violenceAs India geared up to host the G20 meeting in New Delhi, with heads of top 20 countries including U.S. President Joe Biden joining the summit, the UCF brought out data documenting the increase in incidents of anti-Christian violence under the Modi regime.“In the first 212 days of this year, 2023, 525 incidents of violence against Christians have been reported from 23 states of India

St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. / Credit: Shutterstock CNA Staff, Sep 19, 2023 / 16:50 pm (CNA). The Holy See is investigating a former Australian bishop after receiving a 200-page report alleging the bishop sexually assaulted four indigenous youths and may have used hundreds of thousands of dollars in Church and charity funds in attempts to groom 67 others.Former bishop Christopher Saunders of the Diocese of Broome, who is the subject of the investigation, stepped down from his role in 2020 amid sexual abuse allegations. The Vatican, which commissioned the independent report, received the findings in April but did not release them to the public. The report was leaked to 7NEWS in Australia, which published excerpts of the findings.According to the excerpts, the report found that “the bishop has been variously described by witnesses as … a sexual predator that seeks to prey upon vulnerable Aboriginal men and boys” and “during the investigation, four victims of sexual (delictual) acts were identified.”The report added that 67 “additional Aboriginal boys and men were also identified as persons that may have been subjected to delictual acts or grooming behaviors by Bishop Saunders.” According to 7NEWS, the report found that allegations against Saunders date back to just shortly after he was ordained a priest in Sydney, about 50 years ago, and that he developed a method of grooming Indigenous males by giving gifts of alcohol, cash, phones, phone credit, hotels, and air and bus travel.The report found, according to 7NEWS, that Saunders spent about $4,000 per month on alcohol for the youths. The report discovered that he had five bank accounts, which held about $3 million at one point and purchased a $70,000 boat and several cars. Police launched an investigation into Saunders in 2018 after a man came forward with sexual abuse allegations, but after a two-year investigation, the prosecutors did not find enough evidence against the bishop and declined to bring charges. The Holy See’s investigation began in 2022 and is being led by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. The dicastery’s investigation is still ongoing. The president of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe of Perth, said in a statement that the Holy See will make a determination “in due time” and “it is hoped that this will not be unduly delayed.” He said the Church’s investigation could not begin until the police finished its inquiry into the allegations.“We will respect the enduring confidential nature of this process by not commenting on specific allegations that have been raised,” Costelloe said. “Bishop Saunders, who has maintained his innocence, is able to respond to the report by communicating directly with the Holy See.”Costelloe added that the allegations “are very serious and deeply distressing, especially for those making the allegations” and that “it is right and proper for them to be thoroughly investigated.” “After what has been a long and painful process for so many, it is important that a just and authoritative finding be made,” Costelloe said. “Only then can the process

Chinese flags on barbed wired wall in Kashgar (Kashi), Xinjiang, China. / Credit: Jonathan Densford/Shutterstock Rome Newsroom, Sep 15, 2023 / 18:50 pm (CNA). A Catholic priest in China was convicted of “fraud” and “impersonating religious personnel” on Sept. 13, ChinaAid reported. Father Joseph Yang Xiaoming of the Wenzhou Diocese in Zhejiang, China — south of Shanghai — was found to be in violation of the law after he refused to register with the state-sanctioned Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA).The court-imposed administrative penalties on Yang include “the cessation of his [priestly] activities, the confiscation of illegal proceeds of 28,473.33 yuan ($3,913), and a fine of 1,526.67 yuan ($210),” UCA News reported. In May 2021, shortly after his ordination, the Longwan District Religious Affairs Office started legal proceedings against Yang. Yang reportedly challenged the allegations by presenting a valid certificate of ordination in court “issued by the bishop of Wenzhou and both the Longwan District Religious Affairs Bureau,” in which “the Longwan District government ... recognized the authenticity of the document in court, thus acknowledging that he was ordained according to the rules of the Catholic Church.”According to AsiaNews, Yang Xiaoming, 33, was born in Longwan, a district of the city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. He was ordained in 2020 by Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin.Zhumin was made coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Yongjia in 2011 and bishop of the diocese in 2016, both times with a papal mandate; he was not, however, approved by the CCPA. Zhumin repeatedly refused to recognize the CCPA and, in turn, has been detained multiple times, most recently on Feb. 18. There have been no updates as to his status or whereabouts, ChinaAid reported.CCP’s increasing oversight of religious activity In the last five years, there has been an accelerated centralization of government oversight of religious activities in China. In 2018 the National Religious Affairs Administration (NRAA), formerly known as the SARA, was put under the United Front Work Department (UFWD), which is under the direct control of the party’s Central Committee.In December 2019, the Administrative Measures for Religious Groups was published, which went into effect on Feb. 1, 2020. This 41-article document enacted stricter provisions for religious expression by imposing new rules on the structure, function, and administrative oversight of religious groups. According to an English translation of the document provided by Bitter Winter, a religious liberty and human rights magazine, Article 3 states: “Without the approval of the religious affairs department of the people’s government, or registration with the civil affairs department of the people’s government, no religious activities in the name of religious organizations are allowed.”Article 17, which concerns the conduct and role of the clergy, states that clergy members should abide by the directives of the Communist Party of China.“Religious organizations should publicize the guidelines and policies of the Communist Party of China, national laws, regulations, and rules to the clergy and religious citizens, in order to instruct and direct the clergy and religious citizens to support the rule of the Communist Party of China, support the socialist system, follow the path of

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, Italy. / Francesco Pierantoni from Bologna, Italy - Premio Colombe d’oro per la pace via Wikimedia (CC BY 2.0). Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 15, 2023 / 16:10 pm (CNA). Papal envoy Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi visited Beijing this week to discuss efforts to bring about peace in Ukraine amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, according to a statement released by the Vatican on Thursday.Zuppi met with Chinese Special Representative for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They discussed “the war in Ukraine and its dramatic consequences, emphasizing the need to unite efforts to foster dialogue and find paths leading to peace,” according to the Vatican. The meeting also touched on “the problem of food security … with the hope that grain exports could soon be guaranteed, especially for the countries most at risk.” The Russian Navy currently has a blockade in the Black Sea, which is preventing Ukrainian grain exports. According to the Vatican statement, Zuppi and Li’s discussion was “held in an open and cordial atmosphere.”During a news conference, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China is interested in working with all parties, according to Reuters. “On the issue of Ukraine, China has always been committed to promoting peace talks,” Mao said. “We are ready to work with all parties and continue to play a constructive role in promoting de-escalation and cooling of the situation.”Zuppi arrived in the Chinese capital on Wednesday, Sept. 13, and left on Friday, Sept. 15. While serving as Pope Francis’ peace envoy, Zuppi made several diplomatic visits across the world to promote peace between Russia and Ukraine, which included stops in Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington, D.C.

U.S. President Joe Biden and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi pay respect at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Raj Ghat on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi on Sept. 10, 2023. / Credit: LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Bangalore, India, Sep 15, 2023 / 15:40 pm (CNA). Amid a wave of anti-Christian incidents taking place in India, the government’s National Commission for Minorities (NCM) in India has invited a national Christian network monitoring atrocities to engage in a discussion. “We are happy that the government has called us to discuss our various concerns,” A.C. Michael, national coordinator of the United Christians Forum (UCF), told CNA Sept. 14. The UCF documents atrocities and issues of discrimination against Christians.The NCM, Michael said, sent an email with the “invitation for meeting regarding issues related to [the] Christian community” on Sept. 21 at the commission office in New Delhi. The invitation also acknowledged that “your letter dated 21.4.2023 addressed to Hon’ble Prime Minister raising issues regarding the Christian community, which has been received in NCM from the Ministry of Minority Affairs.”This is not the first time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has engaged in outreach to Christians. He visited Sacred Heart Cathedral in New Delhi on Easter Day, April 9, lighting a candle in front of the statue of the risen Christ in the cathedral. He also planted a sapling in the front garden of the cathedral in the presence of Delhi Archbishop Anil Couto, Syro Malabar-rite Archbishop Kuriakose Bharanikulangara, and Syro Malankara-rite Bishop Thomas mar Anthonios.Two weeks later, Michael, on behalf of UCF, wrote a letter to Modi, whose ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is known for espousing a Hindu nationalist agenda amid the escalating violence against Christians.“While we appreciate the valuable time you spent in and around the cathedral (on Easter), there were a few concerns I wanted to share. However, it was not the appropriate moment,” Michael wrote.Prime Minister Modi planted a sapling on Easter Sunday at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in New Delhi. Credit: Anto AkkaraThree major grievancesThe head of the UCF listed three major grievances including the “harmful” impact of anti-conversion laws enacted in 11 states, frequent attacks on Christian educational institutions, and continued discrimination against Christian Dalits.Dalit (literally meaning “trampled upon”) refers to low castes, treated as “untouchables” in caste-ridden Indian society. Often, they eke out a living by carrying out menial jobs such as scavenging while living in segregation from upper castes in rural areas.  In 1950, the federal government listed Hindu Dalits as Scheduled Caste (SC) and made them eligible for free education and the 15% quota in government jobs and seats in legislatures to improve their social status.Later, this statutory benefit was extended to Sikh and Buddhist Dalits. However, decades of Christian agitation for equal rights for Dalit Christians, who comprise two-thirds of the more than 34 million Christians in India, has fallen on deaf ears.Amid steadily rising incidents of anti-Christian violence, the UCF also urged Prime Minister Modi in the letter “not to let

Bishop Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei in 1949. / Credit: Public Domain Rome Newsroom, Sep 8, 2023 / 06:00 am (CNA). On the evening of Sept. 8, 1955, public security officers of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a mass arrest of Catholic clergy in the city of Shanghai. Among them was the first native-born bishop of the city, Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei. By the end of the month, over 1,200 priests and lay faithful were arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned.This carefully orchestrated event was the culmination of a multiyear process by the CCP to break Catholic resistance in the city and to bring the Church under the control of the state. The decision to focus on Shanghai was deliberate: It was the hub of the Catholic Church in China and Cardinal (then bishop) Kung was not only one of the most important Catholic leaders in the country but also the very embodiment of unwavering fidelity to the Petrine office.Born into a fifth-generation Catholic familyThe Catholic life of Shanghai was profoundly shaped by the French Jesuits. They took over ecclesiastical affairs following the Sino-French conventions of the 19th century, which ushered in the French religious protectorate. Shanghai, an important port city, was a sort of laboratory, a meeting point of different cultures, and it was in this environment that the Jesuits were able to integrate the Church into the broader social framework. The city was also home to the most important Catholic schools and seminary, as well as the main Marian shrine, Our Lady of Shehan.It was in this cosmopolitan environment that Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei was born in 1901 into a fifth-generation Catholic family. Known for his piety, pastoralism, and administrative acumen, following his ordination to the priesthood in 1930 he went on to serve as a principal of a Jesuit middle school and high school. Not only did these schools provide many with a solid academic formation, but they also became places where non-Catholic Chinese youth encountered the faith, many of whom converted and became fervent Catholics.   A hostile environment for the ChurchThough the Church had a stable presence in China since the late 16th century, in broader Chinese society there was a lingering suspicion of Catholics. This was a result of the historic link between the European imperial powers and mission work, which in turn delayed the indigenization of the episcopate. In 1924 the Primum Concilium Sinese (the first Plenary Council of China), or the Shanghai Synod of Bishops, addressed many of these concerns. Then, finally, in 1926, the first six native Chinese bishops were consecrated by Pope Pius XI in 1926. Twenty years later, in 1946, Pope Pius XII in his apostolic constitution Quotidie Nos erected an official diocesan structure in China.There is a canonical as well as a socio-political significance to these developments. Before 1946, the ecclesiastical administrative units in China were apostolic prefectures or pre-diocesan administrative units in mission territories. Having native-born Chinese bishops and an official diocesean structure elevated the position of the Chinese Church, signaling to the