austraLasia
1550
Cardinal Zen's
tough days deserve our support
HONG KONG:
4th May 2006 -- A non-Salesian source close to Cardinal Zen has
indicated that the Cardinal has found this past week personally tough going, in
the light of the ordination of two illegal Bishops in China, one for the diocese
of Kumming, south west China, on April 30, and the other for the diocese of
Anhui, some 1,000 kms south of Beijing, on 3rd May. As Cardinal, as
Salesian and as Chinese, Cardinal Zen shows a great love for his Church and his
people. With another 20 episcopal ordinations in the pipeline for China,
the man who has the nerve to stand up to the Patriotic Association is fighting a
lonely battle, since there are not too many others who can carry that
role. austraLasia, inasmuch as it tries to be a unifying voice in the East
Asia-Oceania Region, takes this opportunity to express its support for the
Cardinal's efforts.
One can read the details, the lead up
and even possible future scenarios for the newly ordained bishops from a variety
of sources. Less focus has been given to Cardinal Zen, except the
international press's reporting of snubs and rejection of the Cardinal's
explicit requests to the Patriotic Association to "suspend the episcopal
ordination....because it has not received approval from the Holy See" (from the
quoted reports of his fax to the PA before Father Ma Ling's ordination on 30th
April).
The South China Morning Post has reported
the subsequent reactions of the Cardinal to the ordinations. He has been
so keen to see continued dialogue between the Vatican and the Government, but
this time he has said quite explicitly that talks "cannot continue because
people will think [the Vatican is] prepared to surrender. We cannot
budge. When you brutally place such a fait accompli, how can you call this
dialogue?"
It is important to note here the distinction
between the Government and the Patriotic Association. The PA is not
interested in relationships between Beijing and the Holy See; the Government may
well be, and that is the difference. Another commentator, a P.I.M.E priest
who has worked in China, believes that the Government is at times embarrassed by
the "Stalinist and asphyxiating mentality" of the PA. It is as if a
monster has been created which even they cannot control. The lay vice
chairman of the PA, a Mr Liu Bainian, recently told Hong Kong Broadcaster RTHK
that "we believe the Pope will not disagree. We have not considered
whether this ordainment [sic] will bring negative consequences on sino-vatican
relations". The Cardinal's opinion? "I doubt it comes from the top of the
leadership" - he is referring to the leadership of the Chinese
Government.
It can often be lonely at the top of any form
of government, and although he knows he has the support of the Pope and the
Church generally, it is also good that we Salesians, who have been so proud to
acknowledge Joseph Zen's appointment as Cardinal, likewise line up to express
our solidarity with this man 'at the
top'.
__________________________________
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