Cardinal Zen: Chinese defiance shows failure of Vatican ‘ostpolitik’ approach
December 14, 2016
Cardinal Joseph Zen has said that the Chinese government deliberately challenged Pope Francis by forcing the participation of an excommunicated bishop in the ordination of two new Chinese bishops.
Cardinal Zen said that the ordination ceremonies—which had been authorized by both the Vatican and the Chinese regime, but disrupted when officials insisted that bishop who had been illicitly ordained must take part—showed the failure of the Vatican’s efforts to reach a mutually acceptable agreement with Beijing on the appointment of bishops. Cardinal Zen has consistently argued that the Chinese regime will not allow religious freedom, and the Vatican should not seek an accommodation with the regime.
The cardinal also voiced dismay that the Vatican has not issued any statement to denounce the officials’ interference with the November ordination ceremonies.
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Further information:
- Card. Zen: The “slap” from Chris Patten and those of the illegitimate ordinations and Assembly for the Pope (AsiaNews)
- Clashes in China at new bishop’s ordination (CWN, 12/1)
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Dec. 14, 2016 11:12 PM ET USA
There's Vatican amnesia about communism.Our Pope grieves for communist mass-murderer Castro. It started with John XXIII's Vatican-Moscow accord:Vat II will not condemn communism so that Russian Orthodox will come to the Council.The illusion:Church compromise causes communist goodwill to the Church.Then Paul VI's Ostpolitik weakened the Church's witness and betrayed martyrs.Card Zen no amnesiac he warns: sinopolitik is the same illusion/betrayal! Church teaching:communism is intrinsically evil!
