John Lei Jiapei (Chinese: 雷家培; pinyin: Léi Jiāpéi, born June 1970) is a Chinese Catholic priest and the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ningyuan since 2016.
John Lei Jiapei | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Ningyuan | |
| Native name | 雷家培 |
| Church | Cathedral of the Angels, Xichang |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Diocese of Ningyuan |
| Predecessor | Michael Xie Chaogang |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1995 |
| Consecration | 2016 by John Fang Xingyao |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1970 |
| Denomination | Catholic |
Biography
editLei was born in June 1970 and ordained as a priest in 1995.[1] He became the diocesan administrator of Xichang after the death of Michael Xie Chaogang in 1999.[2] In 2010, he was elected as a bishop candidate.[1]
In 2011, Lei was recorded singing Chinese Communist Party songs on stage while wearing vestments. According to UCA News, Lei became "infamous among Catholics across China" for this sacrilegious act.[3] There were also rumors of sexual misconduct about Lei.[3][1]
In 2015, the Holy See appointed Lei as an apostolic administrator.[3] However, his status remained problematic and became a part of the 2016 Vatican-Beijing talks.[3]
On 2 December 2016, Lei was ordained a bishop by John Fang Xingyao, bishop of Yizhou and president of the Catholic Patriotic Association. Bishops Paul Xiao Zejiang and Paul He Zeqing assisted the ordination, which took place at the Cathedral of the Angels, Xichang. Bishops Joseph Tang Yuange and Paul Lei Shiyin (excommunicated at the time) also attended the ceremony.[1] The ordination happened under strict security measures,[1] with security checks, no electronic devices,[1] and police in plain clothes.[2] About 800 people watched his ordination ceremony from the LED screen outside of the church.[4]
Upon ordination, Lei said that he hoped to lead his diocese in "paying importance to evangelization".[1] On the next day, the feast day of Saint Francis Xavier, Lei celebrated his first mass as a bishop.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Excommunicated Chinese bishop joins in yet another episcopal ordination". Hong Kong: Union of Catholic Asian News. 2016-12-02. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
- ^ a b Wang, Xiang (2016-12-02). "A "quiet" ordination with an illegitimate bishop in Xichang". asianews.it. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
- ^ a b c d "Unsavory realities challenge Vatican-Beijing talks". Hong Kong: Union of Catholic Asian News. 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
- ^ a b "四川：西昌教区雷家培神父晋牧" (in Chinese). xinde.org. 2016-12-02. Retrieved 2023-11-18.