Joseph Tong Changping

Joseph Tong Changping
Bishop of the Apostolic Prefecture of Tongzhou
Province	Shaanxi
Diocese	Apostolic Prefecture of Tongzhou
Installed	4 November 2002
Predecessor	Lawrence Zhang Wenbin
Orders
Ordination	6 January 1997
Personal details
Born	(1968-12-06) 6 December 1968 Weinan, Shaanxi, China
Denomination	Roman Catholic

In this Chinese name, the family name is Tong.

Joseph Tong Changping (simplified Chinese: 同长平; traditional Chinese: 同長平; pinyin: Tóng Chángpíng; born 6 December 1968) is a Chinese Catholic priest and has served as the Bishop of the Apostolic Prefecture of Tongzhou since 2002.

Biography

Tong was born on 6 December 1968, in Weinan, Shaanxi. From 1991 to 1994, he studied theology and philosophy at the Seminary of Xi'an Archdiocese. He continued to study law and political science at Shaanxi Academy of Political Science. On 6 January 1997, at the age of 29, he was ordained a priest. After being ordained, he became a professor of law at the diocesan seminary. He was also a superior priest and spiritual director in the Apostolic Prefecture of Tongzhou. On 4 November 2002, he was ordained a bishop by Bishop Lawrence Zhang Wenbin. Despite being ordained by a bishop illegally, the Holy See still recognized his episcopal office and appointed him Bishop of the Apostolic Prefecture of Tongzhou. His episcopal ordination was held in December 2003.