Leading Asian cardinal calls for Vatican foreign minister to resign over China dealings

Record ID: 1357324

  • Title: Leading Asian cardinal calls for Vatican foreign minister to resign over China dealings
  • Date: 21st September 2018
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (FILE - DECEMBER 18, 2016) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CHURCH CHILDREN WALKING IN FOR MASS AT OFFICIAL CHURCH
  • Embargoed: 5th October 2018 10:57
  • Keywords: the Vatican Catholic Church China Chinese government cardinal China-Vatican deal Hong Kong foreign ministry Joseph Zen
  • Location: HONG KONG AND BEIJING AND YOUTONG VILLAGE, HEBEI PROVINCE, CHINA
  • City: HONG KONG AND BEIJING AND YOUTONG VILLAGE, HEBEI PROVINCE, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Fundamental Rights/Civil Liberties,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0018YKIM2V
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART AUDIO AS INCOMING
    A Hong Kong cardinal who has spearheaded opposition to the Vatican's rapprochement with China called on Thursday (September 20) for the Pope's secretary of state to step down, saying any deal with Beijing would amount to a betrayal of the Catholic faith.
    The Vatican and China have been in advanced talks this year to forge what would be an historic breakthrough and precursor to a resumption in diplomatic relations after 70 years, with Secretary of State Pietro Parolin among the chief negotiators.
    The Vatican may send a delegation to China before the end of this month. If the meeting goes well, the two could reach an agreement on the appointment of bishops, a Chinese state-run newspaper reported earlier this week.
    Cardinal Joseph Zen, the most senior Catholic cleric on Chinese soil, said he believed the two sides were making a secret deal, although he acknowledged he had no connection with the Vatican. He described Parolin, the highest ranking diplomat in the Vatican, as someone who despised heroes of faith and should resign.
    China's roughly 12 million Catholics are split between an underground Church that swears loyalty to the Vatican, and the state-supervised Catholic Patriotic Association.
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