Free Republic

[Catholic / Anglican Caucus] Cardinal Zen warns against synodality: ‘Isn’t this the Catholic Church committing suicide?’The retired 93-year-old cardinal has issued yet another sharp critique of the Synod on Synodality and the late Pope Francis.In a blog post published on his personal website this week, 93-year-old retired Chinese Cardinal Joseph Zen has issued yet another sharp critique of the Synod on Synodality and the late Pope Francis.Francis left behind “chaos and division,” His Eminence said. “Our greatest hope is that Pope Leo will unite the Church on the foundation of truth, rallying us all to the mission of evangelization. We...

Cardinal Muller to the Pope: 'Cardinal Zen will be tried by China, the Vatican should not sacrifice him to reasons of state' On the just-concluded Consistory with almost all the world's cardinals - an event that has not happened since 2014 - the Vatican's silence on the fate of Hong Kong's Cardinal Emeritus Joseph Zen ze-Kiun from China, who is absent from Rome because he is under house arrest for raising his voice against Beijing by defending human rights both in Hong Kong and in China, weighed like a boulder. "Next month there will be an unfair trial. No one...

A judge in Hong Kong has scheduled a five-day trial for 90-year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen, a longtime critic of China’s communist regime who was arrested in May for his role in a now-defunct humanitarian relief organization that helped people who participated in the large-scale 2019 pro-democracy protests. Magistrate Ada Yim set the trial date (Sept. 19-23) after speaking to prosecutors and Zen’s lawyers, The Tablet said, citing a report by the Hong Kong Free Press. Zen was arrested on May 11, along with four other trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which helped protesters legally and financially. The others...

European Parliament calls on Vatican to support Cardinal ZenStrasbourg, France, Jul 8, 2022 / 04:24 am (CNA).The European Parliament has called on the Vatican “to give full support to Cardinal Zen” and told the Holy See it should “strengthen its diplomatic efforts and its leverage on the Chinese authorities”.In a resolution passed on July 7, the parliament condemned the arrest of the 90-year-old former bishop of Hong Kong by Chinese authorities and demanded that all charges against him be dropped.Cardinal Zen was charged in a Hong Kong court on May 24 with four other prominent democracy advocates who were all...

Hong Kong’s national security police arrested 90-year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen under its national security law for his role in a now-defunct humanitarian relief organization that helped people who participated in the large-scale 2019 pro-democracy protests. Zen was arrested Wednesday, along with other trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which helped protesters legally and financially. According to Hong Kong Free Press, others arrested include Cantopop singer and actor Denise Ho, ex-legislator Margaret Ng and academic Hui Po Keung. They were accused of colluding with foreign forces. If found guilty, they could face life in prison. “The Holy See has learnt...

[Catholic Caucus] "Dubia" by Card Zen on the pastoral guidelines of the Holy See concerning the civil registration of the clergy in China Hong Kong’s bishop emeritus contributes to the debate over the new guidelines made public by the Holy See. Hong Kong (AsiaNews) – In paragraphs 1 and 2 the document explains the problem and the general solution. 1. The problem is that the government has reneged on its promises to respect Catholic doctrine. In the civil registration of the clergy, it almost always requires the clergy to accept the principle of self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation of the Church...