LESHAN, China – A nun was severely beaten and hospitalized and a priest suffered minor injuries after being attacked while trying to reclaim two former church properties in southwestern Sichuan province.
Sister Xie Yuming suffered head and chest injuries and remained in the hospital several days after she and Father Wang Xueqing were attacked by around a dozen unknown assailants Sept. 3, local sources told the Asian church news agency UCA News.
The two were trying to assert church rights to two schools that formerly belonged to Kangding Diocese. The schools were among several properties confiscated by authorities in the 1950s but were due to be returned to the diocese.
Sources said the attack sparked anger among many parishioners, who gathered outside their local church, vowing to defend their rights.
Kangding Diocese currently has three priests and two nuns serving 13,000 Catholics in the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The diocese has no bishop and is currently being administrated by Leshan Diocese.