Four more "underground" priests arrested in China
The Cardinal Kung Foundation reports that 4 Catholic priests serving the "underground" Catholic Church in China were arrested last week by Chinese security forces. According to a press release at the foundation website: "On the afternoon of July 24, 2007, at the home of a Catholic faithful in the Ximeng region of Inner Mongolia, three underground Roman Catholic priests from Xiwanzi, Hebei were arrested by eight civilian-clothed policemen because they refused to join the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and because they are loyal and obedient to Pope Benedict. They were hiding in Inner Mongolia in order to avoid the arrests, but they were finally hunted down by the Security Police."
According to the foundation, the names of the three priests are: Father Liang Aijun, 35 years old, Chong Li county, Hebei; Father Wang Zhong, 41 years old, Gu Yuan county, Hebei; Father Gao Jinbao, 34 years old, Shang Yi county, Hebei.
The foundation reports: "During the initial phase of the arrest, the priests were locked up in an iron cage. They were not allowed to talk to anyone. Water brought to them was refused by the police. They have now all been transferred to an undisclosed location."
"In addition, a fourth priest, Father Cui Tai of Shuangshu Village, Zhuolu County, 50 years old, was involved in a minor motorcycle accident in early July, 2007. After the accident was resolved, the authority transferred him to the public security and religious bureau. He has been detained in the Zhuolu County detention cell ever since. Father Cui has also refused to register with the Patriotic Association. He belongs to the diocese of Xuanhua, Hebei."