Cardinal-designate says comments show fear of Sino-Vatican relations

Published: 2006-03-09

HONG KONG (CNS) -- Cardinal-designate Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong said recent criticism of his papal appointment from a leader of the government-approved church body in Beijing "shows how worried he is about the prospect of normalization of relations between China and the Holy See." Anthony Liu Bainian, vice chairman of the government-approved Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, told the British news agency Reuters March 8 that many Chinese believe Pope Benedict XVI's appointment of Cardinal-designate Zen showed the Vatican wants to challenge Beijing. Liu also described Cardinal-designate Zen as a threat to the Beijing government just as the late Pope John Paul II was a threat to the communist regime in Poland and said the Hong Kong bishop is "widely known as an opponent of communism." The government church official made his comments as the March 3-13 plenary session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference was convening in Beijing. Liu is a standing committee member of the conference.

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