The Church's Fight for Survival in China | Special Report | Anthony E. Clark, Ph.D. | Catholic World Report
An exclusive interview with Hong Kong’s Cardinal Joseph Zen
Hong Kong remains Asia’s most modern city, bursting with people and rising materialism. Nestled within the island’s network of winding roads, steep escalators, and soaring skyscrapers is a small building that houses a community of modest Salesians who serve the poor and educate the young after the example of St. John Bosco. It is difficult to imagine when first arriving at this unassuming community that it is the home of China’s most prominent and outspoken Catholic prelate, Cardinal Joseph Zen, S.D.B.
After being granted a private interview, Father Paul Mariani, S.J. and I awaited His Eminence downstairs in his residence at the Salesian House of Studies. Cardinal Zen joined us, adjusted the air conditioning, and informed us that he was feeling “a bit unwell” that day. Despite his illness, he was generous with his time, and lived up to his reputation of honesty and candor regarding the situation of the Church in China.
Zen served as bishop of Hong Kong from 2002 to 2009, and was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. When asked in a previous interview whether he intended to rest in his retirement, he answered: “I am retiring, but I’m not going to stop working for the Chinese Church.” It is clear that Cardinal Zen is a deeply pious laborer in the vineyard of the Lord, and that his heart is unflinchingly committed to improving the status of China’s long-suffering Catholic community. He is perhaps the most informed man alive today regarding what transpires among the Christians who live within the Great Wall.
Our discussion began with a reflection on Tertullian’s statement that
the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. We asked Cardinal
Zen why it is that China has produced a comparatively large number of
Christian martyrs in its history, and why persecution against Catholics
persists so strongly today. He responded, “When we talk about the
situation in China, we are talking about the persecution under the
Communist regime.” He noted that while Communism is in principle the
same everywhere, it has different characteristics depending on the
country in which it exists. “China is fundamentally a place where
Christians are the minority,” and in China the Christian mission “has
been considered imperialist,” according to Zen. Thus, the Communist
persecution of Christians in China has been “cruel and pitiless.” Also,
since “China’s Communist regime is an ‘improved edition’ of Communism,”
control there over religion is particularly tight.
Read the entire article...
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for those who felt the article didn't answer a key assertion ("the cardinal maintains that Westerners and Chinese are in the end different") here's a tip on why Thomists aren't that helpful:
http://orientem.blogspot.com/2010/07/brief-history-of-chinese-philosophy.html
Posted by: Clare Krishan | Thursday, July 29, 2010 at 06:53 PM