BISHOP JAMES WALSH, the
last foreign bishop in Communist China, has not been "available" to receive either visitors or telephone calls at his Shanghai residence, the rectory cf Christ the King church, since October 19. according to reports reaching Hong Kong.
Both the British Consulate in Shanghai and the American Consulate in Ilona Kong have been trying to confirm the rumours circulating in Shanghai for the past month that thc bishop has been imprisoned or placed under house arrest by the Communists.
Until now, it has been relatively easy to telephone Bishop Walsh from Hong Kong, but a recent call was answered by a servant who said he had not seen the bishop for a week. although he (the servant) had been working from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the rectory.
Bishop Walsh. who was among the first group of Maryknoll missionaries to go to China in 1918, has repeatedly asserted that he intends to stay in China for as long as possible. Although he is not allowed to carry on his work as executive secretary of the Central Catholic Bureau (the agency which used to co-ordinate all Catholic missionary, cultural, welfare and educational work in the country). he feels that his presence gives Chinese Catholics moral support during the persecution they are undergoing.