Hong Kong allows Cardinal Joseph Zen to be vocal to attend Pope Francis’s funeral

Hong Kong: Hong KongVocal Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen The southern Chinese city was allowed to be left to participate in the funeral of Pope Francis Vatican City,
93 -year -old retired bishop Zen left Hong Kong on Wednesday night, after applying to a court to withdraw his passport, his secretary on Thursday told the Associated Press in a text message. Authorities seized their passport after their controversial arrest under the Beijing-Lagan National Security Act in 2022.
The Zen is among the critics in recent years, who has called the Vatican agreement with Chinese authorities on the appointment of Bishops with the Vatican Pro-Vatican Chinese Catholics. He has also criticized the state secretary Pitro Parolin, alleging a conversation with Beijing, as “a person of Little Faith”. Parolin is considered one of the main contenders of the next Pope, given his prominence in Catholic hierarchy.
On Tuesday, media reports stated that Zen issued a criticism of the Vatican, asking why pre-compound meetings started in early Tuesday. AP could not verify the reports independently, but Zen re -designed the posts of reporters about his statement on his X account.
His secretary said that Zen would return to Hong Kong after the funeral of the late Pope, which is scheduled for Saturday. But she was uncertain about her exact return date. This was not the first time Zen had to pass through the city court to leave Hong Kong. In 2023, he passed through similar procedures to pay his honor to the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
Zen was first arrested in 2022 on suspicion of confrontation with foreign forces under the Security Act. His arrest at that time sent shockwaves through the Catholic community.
While Zen has not yet been faced with allegations related to national security, he and five others were fined in 2022, now found to be guilty of registering a faulty fund, which aims to help arrest people against a comprehensive 2019 pro -2019 pro -2019 democracy in Hong Kong. The hearing on his appeal against the sentence is scheduled for December.
Separate, Hong Kong Cardinal will travel to Stephen Chow to Vatican for Conclave, the city’s Catholic Social Communication Office said on Thursday.
In 2023, a Beijing Bishop that was founded by the Chinese state-control Catholic Church Hong Kong visited Hong Kong at Chow’s invitation as an archbishop. It was the first official visit by a Beijing Bishop in the city. Experts at that time said Chow’s invitation was a symbolic gesture that could strengthen the delicate relations between China and the Vatican.
Beijing and the Vatican separated diplomatic relations after the increase in power of the Chinese Communist Party and the expulsion of foreign priests. Since the break in relationships, Catholics in China have been divided among those who are an official, state-approved church and an underground church towards the Pope. The Vatican recognizes both members as Catholic, but claims the exclusive rights to choose the bishop.