Beijing-Vatican drama exposed

HK cardinal slams decision to reinstate China-selected bishop

VATICAN CITY: Cardinal Joseph Zen of Hong Kong has revealed the behind-the-scenes drama of the Vatican’s efforts to improve relations with China, including its request for a legitimate bishop to retire in favour of an excommunicated one recognised by Beijing.

The retired cardinal, the most vocal opponent of Pope Francis’ opening to China, bitterly criticised the proposed changing of the guard in the Shantou diocese and revealed in a Facebook post on Monday that he travelled to the Vatican this month to personally raise it with the pope.

Zen confirmed reports by the Asia News missionary news agency that the Vatican asked Shantou Bishop Peter Zhuang Jianjian, 88, to step down in favour of Bishop Joseph Huang Bingzhang.

Huang was excommunicated by the Vatican in 2011 after he was consecrated without papal approval.

Zen said that he was exposing the “confidential” information – including the content of his Jan 14 audience with Francis – so that the Chinese faithful “may know the truth to which they are entitled”.

“My conscience tells me that in this case, the right to truth should override any such duty of confidentiality,” he wrote.

The issue of bishop nominations is the key stumbling block in Vatican-Chinese relations that were officially severed when Beijing ordered Chinese Catholics to cut ties with the Holy See soon after the foundation of the Communist state in 1949.

The Vatican insists only the pope can nominate successors to Christ’s apostles.

China views the Vatican’s insistence as interference in its sovereignty.

Popes from John Paul II onward have expressed hope for restoring diplomatic ties, with Pope Benedict XVI taking the boldest step in 2007 by urging the millions of Chinese Catholics worshipping in both the state-controlled aboveground and the oft-persecuted clandestine underground churches to unite under his jurisdiction.

Francis is taking that overture further to try to reach a deal with the state-backed Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.

“Do I think that the Vatican is selling out the Catholic Church in China?” Zen asked in his post.

“Yes, definitely, if they go in the direction which is obvious from all what they are doing in recent years and months.”

The Vatican spokesman, Greg Burke, declined to comment, or to confirm or deny the Asia News report.