(LifeSiteNews) — Communist officials in China have made two new bishops since Pope Francis died, appearing to show once again that China holds no regard for the Holy See’s role in the process.

According to AsiaNews, two new bishops were “elected” in China recently by local clergy members of the state-approved church, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA). These elections took place on April 28 and April 29.

Citing sources, AsiaNews reported that on April 28 a certain Father Wu Jianlin was “elected” as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Shanghai, after having served as vicar general. His election was largely unopposed; he is a member of the state-approved church.

Then on April 29 Father Li Jianlin was “elected” as auxiliary of the Diocese of Xinxiang after reportedly being the only candidate for the role.

Such appointments come in light of the highly controversial Sino-Vatican deal, which was signed in 2018 and renewed most recently in 2024 for a four-year period.

The officially secret deal is believed to recognize the state-approved church in China and allows the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to appoint bishops. The Pope apparently maintains veto power, although in practice it is the CCP that has control. It also allegedly allows for the removal of legitimate bishops to be replaced by CCP-approved bishops.

However the CCP’s decision to appoint two new auxiliaries whilst there is no pope is notable. Faced with the absence of the Roman Pontiff, their is no possibility for any Church official to approve episcopal candidates, since such is a decision reserved to the authority of the pope.

Pope Francis died on April 21, and the Catholic Church is now in the interregnum period, awaiting the election of a new pope after the conclave begins on May 7. No bishops can be approved or appointed in this time.

Given this, the CCP’s move to appoint two bishops demonstrates that Beijing does not see the role of the Holy See or the pope as important. It further points to the fact that in the highly secretive Sino-Vatican deal, it appears to be China – rather than the Holy See – to be in charge.

It may have been something discussed between Beijing and the Holy See prior to Francis’ death, though no information has been forthcoming on that front. Nor would any be expected to emerge during the interregnum period. But this remains an unlikely scenario given China’s record on the matter in appointing bishops and informing the Vatican afterwards.

The appointment of Fr. Wu to the Diocese of Shanghai has a further significance. The diocese is led by Bishop Shen Bin who was given the see by the CCP in April 2023 – incidentally in a ceremony led by Wu himself and in a move that the Vatican was not informed of.

Shen had been the Vatican-recognized bishop of Haimen, and the Vatican-recognized bishop of Shanghai was actually Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin. Bishop Ma has remained under house arrest after refusing to adhere to the Communist run state-church and was not recognized by the CCP, however.

In July of that year, Pope Francis bowed to Beijing and recognized Bishop Shen as the bishop of Shanghai.

Shen has long been a leading light in the schismatic Communist church in China, including in the bishops’ conference recognized by the CCP but not by the Vatican.

Since mid 2023, Shen has also become a key figure in the relationship between the Holy See and China, but – as China expert Steven Mosher wrote – “whatever else his beliefs, Shen is a faithful and trusted servant of the Chinese Communist Party.”

Meanwhile the Diocese of Xinxiang – to which the second priest, Fr. Li was “elected” – already has a Vatican-recognized bishop, though given he is part of the Underground Church he is not recognized by the CCP. As far as the CCP are concerned, the Xinziang see has been empty.

Such evidencing of the power in the peculiar relationship is by no means new.

Indeed, a series of episcopal appointments during the 2022 – 2024 renewal period of the deal highlighted the primacy of power wielded by Beijing in the deal. On three known occasions, the CCP appointed new bishops or appointed them to new dioceses, leaving the Vatican to play catch-up with the events and express its diplomatically worded frustration.

Notwithstanding the continued public shaming the Holy See has received at the hands of the Chinese, the late Pope Francis and current papabile Cardinal Pietro Parolin – Francis’ Secretary of State and architect of the deal – have long defended the deal.

Speaking in September, Francis commented that “the results are good. Even for the appointment of bishops, things are progressing with goodwill.”

For his part, Parolin announced in January that the deal is “moving in the right direction” and bearing “fruit.” The deal – he said – is “progressing slowly – sometimes even taking a step backwards – but moving in the right direction.”

“There is no ‘magic’ solution,” Parolin opined in January, “but the agreement represents a journey – a slow and challenging journey that, in my opinion, is beginning to bear some fruit.”

Parolin defended the secrecy surrounding the deal, attesting in 2023 that such secrecy was “because it has not yet been finally approved.”

But others have suggested that the secrecy is partly due to China’s influence, and partly due to how shameful the deal could in fact be.

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Joseph Cardinal Zen, emeritus bishop of Hong Kong, has repeatedly criticized it strongly. He described the agreement as an “incredible betrayal” of China’s Catholics and accused the Vatican of “selling out” Chinese Catholics.

He has been supported by numerous activists and China experts, including former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who warned in 2020 that “(t)he Vatican endangers its moral authority, should it renew the deal.”

Additionally, the deal has led to an increase in religious persecution, and the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China has documented this in its annual reports.

Two cardinals from the region are now at the Vatican to discuss the future of the Church amid the conclave: Cardinal Stephen Chow SJ of the Diocese of Hong Kong, who is viewed as ceding ground to the CCP, and emeritus Cardinal Zen who has remained a critic of the Sino-Vatican deal.