A new Catholic coadjutor was ordained in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, yesterday, celebrated worldwide as the day of Mary's birth.

Paul Xiao Zejiang, 40, from the Guizhou diocese, had been elected by priests and other representatives last October.

Xiao graduated from Sheshan Seminary of Catholic Church in Shanghai in 1994, after which he was ordained as a priest. He has served as parish priest in three churches and has abundant experience as a pastor, Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) Vice-President Liu Bainian said.

"He is kind-hearted with a loving heart and has always respected the bishop," Liu said.

Bishop Anicetus Wang Chongyi of Guizhou presided over Xiao's ordination. And Bishop Joseph Ma Yinglin of neighboring Kunming Diocese, Bishop Louis Yu Runshen of Hanzhong and Coadjutor Paul He Zeqing of Wanzhou were the co-ordaining prelates.

More than 3,000 priests and other representatives attended the ordination ceremony.

As coadjutor, Xiao will automatically succeed 88-year-old Bishop Wang. CCPA sources said ordinations of bishops in other dioceses are likely to follow. This year, the CCPA has received proposals for the approval of bishops for Guizhou, Guangzhou, Yichang, Beijing, Ningxia and Hohhot dioceses.

(China Daily September 10, 2007)