Beijing (Agenzia Fides): “I do all things for the sake of the gospel,” said Bishop Matthew Zhen Xuebin, the new coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Beijing, who was ordained on October 25, in the Church of the Saviour, or Beitang [Church of the North], quoting from St. Paul the Apostle.
In his thanksgiving speech the new Bishop Zhen said, “I am grateful to the Lord for his grace in choosing me, a humble servant, as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Beijing. I am aware that I do not have the qualities required for the task entrusted to me, but I accept it in faith and entrust myself to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Matthew the Apostle, trusting with all my heart and promising to dedicate myself entirely to the fulfillment of my pastoral duties, because ‘I do all things for the sake of Gospel’.”
The ordination took place three days after the extension of the Provisional Agreement on the Appointment of Bishops between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China [Sunday Examiner, October 27].
The Letter of Approval from the College of Chinese Catholic Bishops, dated October 12, was read out by its secretary, Father Joseph Yang Yu, at the beginning of the liturgy
Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing, was the principal consecrator. Bishop Peter Ding Lingbin of Changzhi, the home diocese of the newly ordained; Bishop Joseph Guo Jincai of Chengde; Bishop John Baptist Li Suguang of Nanchang; and Bishop Anthony Yao Shun diocese of Jining; concelebrated together with about 140 priests from Beijing and Shanxi province, Bishop Zhen’s home province. Another 500 people also participated.
The Holy See Press Office relased a statement on October 25 which said, “On August 28, 2024, the Holy Father appointed him as Coadjutor Bishop of Beijing [Beijing Municipality, China], having approved his candidacy within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China.”
Bishop Zhen was born in Changzhi, Shanxi, on 10 May 1970. From 1988 to 1993 he studied at the Philosophical and Theological Seminary of Beijing; from 1993 to 1997 he continued his studies at Saint John’s University in New York, obtaining a licentiate in Liturgy.
On 25 June 1998 he was ordained a priest and incardinated in the diocese of Beijing.
From 1998 to 2007 he was vice-rector of the Seminary of Beijing. He then exercised his ministry in various parishes of the city.
He has served as diocesan chancellor since 2007 and in recent years he has also saw to the pastoral care of non-Chinese Catholics residing in Beijing who take part in liturgies celebrated in Korean, English and Tagalog.
