Bishop Ignatius Wu Jianlin was consecrated auxiliary bishop of Shanghai on October 15, 2025, according to an announcement by the Holy See Press Office. The new bishop, a product of the “official” Church loyal to the Communist Party, was previously officially appointed by Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo XIV confirmed this election by the Patriotic Association on August 11 as part of the provisional agreement signed by China and the Holy See in 2018.
Last April, Bishop Wu was elected auxiliary bishop by the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, the Communist Party's control body over the Church. This election was then confirmed by Pope Leo XIV on August 11, as part of the provisional agreement signed by China and the Holy See in 2018. This text, the terms of which are unknown, is intended to give the pontiff the final say in the process of appointing Chinese bishops.
Bishop Wu is the third Chinese bishop appointed by the American-Peruvian pontiff under this agreement. In addition to these appointments, on September 12, Beijing recognized two bishops who are members of the “underground Church” — the Catholic community loyal to Rome — for the first time.
According to the website of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, Bishop Wu's ordination was celebrated in Shanghai Cathedral by his bishop, Joseph Shen Bin. In recent years, Bishop Shen has established himself as one of the leaders of the official Church. He holds the position of president of the Chinese Bishops' Conference — an entity not recognized by the Holy See — and vice president of the Patriotic Association.
An active member of the Patriotic Association
In April 2023, he was transferred to head the Diocese of Shanghai without the approval of Pope Francis, who only accepted the appointment four months later.
His new auxiliary bishop, Ignatius Wu Jianlin, is also an active member of the Chinese Communist Party's official Catholic bodies. Born in 1970, he was ordained a priest in 1997 after training at the Sheshan Seminary. This institution, located next to the large Marian shrine of the same name, is controlled by the Patriotic Association.
After serving as spiritual director of the seminary, Ignatius Wu Jianlin quickly rose through the ranks of the official hierarchy, becoming deputy director of the Patriotic Association in Shanghai in 2003, then head of Catholic education in the diocese. In 2022, he became deputy secretary general of the Chinese Bishops' Conference and joined the central committee of the Patriotic Association as a member.
