Joseph Li Hongguang (Chinese: 李宏光; pinyin: Lǐ Hóngguāng; 15 July 1926 – 13 December 2006) was a Chinese Catholic priest and bishop of the Prefecture Apostolic of Xinjiang in 2006.
Biography
Li was born in Lucheng County (now Lucheng District, Changzhi), Shanxi, on 15 July 1926.[1] He graduated from Changzhi Seminary, Taiyuan General Seminary, and Beijing Wensheng Seminary.[1] He was ordained a priest on 21 March 1953.[1]
During the Cultural Revolution, Li was imprisoned for 15 years and suffered from pain in his feet because of wearing shackles for a long time.[1] He was released after the Cultural Revolution.[1] Li continued his missionary work and worked as an English teacher in a middle school.[1]
In 1994, he was transferred to the Prefecture Apostolic of Xinjiang as coadjutor bishop.[1] On 14 May 1996, he was elected Bishop of the Prefecture Apostolic of Xinjiang, which was recognized by Pope John Paul II.[1][2] On 16 July 2006, Bishop Augustin Zheng Shouduo died, and him took over as the vicar of the Prefecture Apostolic of Xinjiang.[1] However, on the afternoon of December 13 of the same year, he died of a heart attack at the age of 80.[1]