In Remembrance of Cardinal Ignatius Pin-Mei Kung

I have always admired the faith of my Chinese brothers and sisters in Christ. Their steadfast faith in the face of real persecution even unto martyrdom.

Cardinal Ignatius Pin-Mei Kung was the Bishop of Shanghai from 1950 until his death in 2000. In 1955 the Communist Party arrested then Bishop Kung and sentenced him to life in prison. He was replaced by the "official" communist Bishop of the approved Catholic Church in China called the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.

Cardinal Kung remained a prisoner of the Communist Party for decades, often left in solitary confinement. Prior to his arrest and foreseeing the coming persecutions, Bishop Kung ordained a large number of priest who would remain faithful and independent from the Communist Party's approved Church.

In all his years of confinement Bishop Kung remained faithful to Christ and his flock. His quiet testimony was an inspiration to the Church. In 1979, Pope John Paul II, made Bishop Kung a Cardinal of the Church, in pectore, which means secretly so as not to endanger his life.

With his health failing, the Communists finally released Cardinal Kung from prison in 1986 but he remained under house arrest until 1988. While under house arrest he was privately informed that he had been made a Cardinal of the Church.

In 1991, Cardinal Kung traveled to the Vatican where publicly he was made a Cardinal. It is said that at the age of 90, Cardinal Kung rose from his wheel chair and made his way to kneel before Pope John Paul II to receive his Cardinal's hat.

Cardinal Kung died on March 12, 2000. He lived his life as "the Good Shepherd". I am certain that he heard those wonderful words, "well done good and faithful servant."

His faith is remembered, at least by me.

Last September, Pope Francis entered into an agreement with the Communist Party to reconcile the "official" Communist Catholic Church with the underground Church that Cardinal Kung had shepherded for decades. I am not so sure about this as at first blush it seems to me to be a betrayal of all those who suffered under heavy yolk of the Communist Party in China. Time will tell, and I know not the outcome, but of one thing I am certain, Cardinal Ignatius Pin-Mei Kung lived a life worth remembering.