The rising skylines of China's economic powerbases are glittering testimony to a country well on the road to becoming an indomitable economic superpower. But all that glitters is not gold in the land where millions of Christians continue to face severe persecution at the hands of the Communist authorities, as Aid to the Church in Need's Westminster Event 2006 revealed on Saturday.
Westminster Cathedral Hall was packed Saturday with Catholics eager to hear of the experiences of the persecuted church in China firsthand from one of most fearlessly outspoken voices on the issue, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, the Bishop of Hong Kong.In his bold account, Cardinal Zen told of the daily persecution faced not only by the Underground Church in China but also of the official China Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA).
He said the relationship between the Catholic Church in Hong Kong and the Chinese Government was "a very difficult one". "But compared to mainland China, we are really lucky," he told listeners.
"The Communist Regime is afraid of any contact that is not under their control."
Cardinal Zen expressed anger as he described how the constant supervision and intervention of the Government meant that the individual churches were not controlled by the bishops but rather by the selected lay persons who were used as "instruments of the Government" within the congregations, he said.
"That is a humiliation to our bishops," he said, before going on to refer to the earlier incident when bishops invited by the Pope to join the Synod were refused permission by the Chinese Government.
"If they really understood how the Catholic Church is in the world, they would have no fear of the Catholic Church. The Church in China is such a small minority so why should they be afraid," he said. In an earlier ACN press conference, Cardinal Zen stressed that the Church in China is "in no way a threat to the state".
The Bishop of Hong Kong went on to mention the ordinations of two bishops by the CCPA without Vatican approval earlier in the year. If this was an attempt by the Chinese Government to ensure the loyalty of the bishops only to itself, then it had "failed", Cardinal Zen reassured, as he stressed that the bishops involved "in their heart don't feel assured as they know it is wrong" and are now seeking forgiveness from the Holy See.The Church in China is under persecution; they have been harrassed by the government.
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, Bishop of Hong Kong
Cardinal Zen expressed hope, however, in the interest that has rekindled within the Chinese government in relations with the Holy See since the death of John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict.
