LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF CARDINAL ZEN

LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF CARDINAL ZEN

JUSTICE IS TRUTH IN ACTION - HTTP://WWW.CINOPSBEGONEBLOGSPOT.COM - MON.AUG. 24, 2020

Roberto de Mattei, LifeSite Fri. Aug. 21.2020 "Catholic Historian: Zen Criticize Vatican Ostpolitik...."

 

"On January 9, 2026, Cardinal Zen, today Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, voiced severe criticism of the Vatican policy towards China which has evolved during the pontificate of Pope Francis. The Vatican reporter, Sandro Magister sums up the situation in these terms:

 

Since it has been in power, in fact, the Chinese Communist government has wanted to set up a Church submissive to itself and separate from Rome, with bishops appointed by its own exclusive warrant and ordained without the approval of the Pope, subjugated to a "Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association" That Benedict XVI called "irreconcilable" with Catholic doctrine. An "official" Church, therefore, on the brink of schism. Interwoven with an "underground" Church led by bishops not recognized by Beijing and absolutely faithful to the Pope, who however, pay the full price of clandestinity: oppression, surveillance, arrest, abduction."

 

    Cardinal Zen is the voice today that best represents this "subterranean" Church. "I am the voice of the voiceless not only to protest against the Communist Authorities, but also to put certain questions to our Roman Authorities. All these years actions were posited which offend the doctrine and the discipline of our Church: illegitimate Episcopal ordinations up to four times: almost the total participation of the bishops of the official community at the National Assembly of Catholic representatives. No word came from Rome!  Don't our brothers in China have the right to be confused and pose questions.

 

    The subterranean Chinese Church has been sacrificed on the altar of a political strategy that constitutes the comeback in vogue of the Vatican Ostpolitik. In an intervention on Asia News of Feb. 13th 2018, Zen stated that Parolin, the Secretary of State: "venerates the Ostpolitick diplomacy of his master Casaroli and despise the genuine faith of those who firmly defend the Church founded by Jesus on the Apostles from any interference by secular power." 

 

    In a subsequent letter to the entire College of Cardinals dated September 27, 2019, the Chinese Cardinal accused the Secretary of State of encouraging: "the faithful in China to part of a schismatic Church (independent of the Pope and under the command of the Communist Party)"; He concluded with a dramatic question:

"Can we watch passively this murder of the Church in China by the ones who ought to be protecting Her and defending Her from Her Enemies?"

 

    With these declarations Cardinal Zen has aligned himself with many courageous witnesses to the faith, starting with Cardinal Josef Mindszenty, who, on November 1, 1973, resisted Paul VI to his face, by opposing, with respectful refusal, the Pope's request for his demission from the primatial archiepisopal seat of Estergom. On November 8th of the same year, Paul VI removed him from office, but the Cardinal was no silent and denounced the Vatican Ostpolitik in his Memoirs (Rusoni Editore, Milano 1975). Today the cause for his beatification is underway....

 

    There is no need for great sagacity to understand that Ostpolitik toward Russia was a fruit of a precise political choice made by John XXIII and Paul VI, as the Ospolitik toward China is fruit of Pope Francis' political strategy. The Ostpolitik that Cardinal Zen criticizes, is, in fact, fruit of the Second  Vatican Council....

 

    Cardinal Zen states: "I believe it would be very fruitful to read the opening sermon of Vatican II by Pope John XXIII, where he explained the true meaning of "aggiornmento". fracing all threats of modern civilization the Church must not be afraid, but find the ways apt to show the world the true face of Jesus, the Redeemer of Man."...

 

    The first expression of Ostpolitik, symbolized by the then [Secretary of State] Monsignor Casaroli, was the "pledge"# made by the Holy See to the Soviet government not to condemn Communism in any form whatsoever. This was the condition requested by the Kremlin in permitting the participation of observers from the Moscow patriarchy at Vatican II....

George H. Kubeck

# "THERE IS SOMETHING ROTTEN IN THE VATICAN STATE."