New Catholic bishops say civil disobedience OK if for common good
Newly appointed auxiliary bishops, two Catholic clergymen suggest Occupy Central could be just, while third weighs in on reform report
Two auxiliary bishops newly appointed by the Vatican have spoken out about the Occupy Central campaign, saying the church supports civil disobedience when it's for the common good.
A third new auxiliary bishop meanwhile said the Hong Kong Catholic diocese had come under pressure from the government to consider shutting down its outspoken Justice and Peace Commission because it has been critical of the administration.
The bishop, the Reverend Michael Yeung Ming-cheung, also weighed in on politics, saying he wanted the government to hold off on submitting to Beijing its report on a five-month public consultation on electoral reform.
The three were speaking yesterday after they were named auxiliary bishops on Friday.
The news came after Pope Francis asked Cardinal John Tong Hon to stay on as bishop of Hong Kong for another three years, even though he is nearing the retirement age of 75.
Yeung said postponing the submission of the electoral reform report would provide more time for communication.
"Lots of [people] have said that there's no rush to submit the report to the National People's Congress. So waiting could mean more time for dialogue - and more chance for progress," Yeung said.
