Paul Lei Shiyin ( zh, t=雷世銀, s=雷世银; born October 13, 1963) is the current Sichuanese Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Jiading ( Leshan).

Biography

Ordained priest on November 30, 1991, Lei quickly became one of the leading members of the Catholic Church in Sichuan, which led him to hold several posts: he was chosen as one of the treasurers of the Catholic Church in Sichuan, then becomes one of the vice presidents of the Catholic Patriotic Association. His conciliatory attitude toward the Chinese Communist Party (he is also a member of the

Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC, zh, 中国人民政治协商会议), also known as the People's PCC (, ) or simply the PCC (), is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China and a central part of ...

) and the influence of his brother in economic circles lead the Communist Party to support him when it comes in 2010 to replace Bishop

Matthew Luo Duxi Matthew Luo Duxi (1919 – December 4, 2009) was the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association bishop of the Diocese of Jiading in Leshan, Sichuan, China. Ordained a priest in 1983, he was chosen by the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association to be ...

, who died at the age of 90 as bishop of Leshan. He was thus elected bishop by an ecclesiastical college by 27 votes out of 31. The Holy See refused to validate his election and told the Chinese authorities that it was impossible to recognize him as a bishop. Officials from the state-sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association, however, said they acknowledged the election of Lei. He was therefore consecrated bishop on June 29, 2011, in the church of Emeishan in the presence of several government officials, and with the participation of several Catholic bishops in communion with the pope, which embarrassed the Vatican. On July 4, the Vatican spokesman announced that the episcopal consecration of Lei was "illegitimate" and contrary to canon law, which in fact provoked the excommunication latae sententiae of Lei. Speaking about this affair, Benedict XVI said he was "deeply saddened by this unilateral act that sows divisions". On September 22, 2018, Pope Francis lifted the excommunication of Paul Lei Shiyin and other bishops previously appointed by the Chinese government without a pontifical mandate.press.vatican.va
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References

External links

*http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/kiat0.htm *http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bleishiyi.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Lei, Paul, Shiyin 1963 births Living people Sichuanese Roman Catholics Roman Catholic bishops in Sichuan People from Leshan People temporarily excommunicated by the Catholic Church 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in China 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in China Bishops of the Catholic Patriotic Association Roman Catholic Diocese of Jiading