John Lei Jiapei

In this Chinese name, the family name is Lei.
The Most Reverend

John Lei Jiapei
Bishop of Ningyuan
Native name
雷家培
ChurchCathedral of the Angels, Xichang
DioceseRoman Catholic Diocese of Ningyuan
PredecessorMichael Xie Chaogang
Orders
Ordination1995
Consecration2016
by John Fang Xingyao
Personal details
Born1970
DenominationCatholic

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.

Biography

Lei 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

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ a b Wang, Xiang (2016-12-02). "A "quiet" ordination with an illegitimate bishop in Xichang". asianews.it. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  3. ^ a b c d "Unsavory realities challenge Vatican-Beijing talks". Hong Kong: Union of Catholic Asian News. 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  4. ^ 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.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Ningyuan
2016 – 		Succeeded by
Current