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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