Strongly worded statement from Holy See says Pope follows Church’s situation in China ‘with special attention’
The Vatican on Tuesday rebuked a Hong Kong cardinal who said its officials had “definitely” been “selling out” Chinese Catholics to normalise ties with Beijing.
In a strongly worded statement, issued with reference to news on a “presumed difference of thought and action between the Holy See and his collaborators” in the administrative unit of the Holy See, the Holy See press office said Pope Francis had been in close contact with his collaborators over the Vatican’s handling of China.
“The Pope is in constant contact with his collaborators, in particular in the Secretariat of State, on Chinese issues, and is informed by them faithfully and in detail on the situation of the Catholic Church in China and on the steps in the dialogue in progress between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, which he follows with special attention,” press office director Greg Burke said.
He added: “It is therefore surprising and regrettable that the contrary is affirmed by people in the Church, thus fostering confusion and controversy”.
The statement was issued after retired Hong Kong cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun opened up on his trip to the Vatican, where he delivered a letter to the Pope and subsequently had a 30-minute meeting with the pontiff to express his worries about the Chinese government’s suppression of Catholics.
