From “exceptional event” to a common practice: Chinese bishops take part in Holy See initiatives

Chinese bishops Matthew Zhen Xuebin, Coadjutor Bishop of Beijing, and Joseph Huang Bingzhang, Bishop of Shantou, are attending a meeting in Rome convened by Pope Leo XIV. The meeting, held from October 7 to 14, marks the tenth anniversary of the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris laetitia.

Their presence at the meeting in Nervi Hall follows a pattern of increasing participation by Chinese bishops in Holy See events. Two years ago, Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang of Hangzhou and Bishop Vincent Zhang Silu of Funing/Mindong sat and spoke with Pope Francis during the second session of the Synod on Synodality. Additionally, Bishop Joseph Shen Bin of Shanghai addressed a conference in May 2024 organized by the Pontifical Urbaniana University to mark the 100th anniversary of the Concilium Sinense.