On the return flight from Kazakhstan, the pontiff responded to a question about Cardinal Zen’s trial that will begin on September 19: “It is a complex country: it is better to dialogue than to qualify.” In the meantime, Reuters, citing a Vatican source, reports that the Holy See had requested a meeting with Xi Jinping in Kazakhstan, which the Chinese leader refused. The Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong: “I have lost all the battles, but I am happy.” The Pope will travel to Bahrain in November.
Milan () – “I do not like to describe China as undemocratic, because it is such a complex country… It is true that there are things that seem undemocratic to us. Cardinal Zen is going on trial these days. And he says what perceives, and it is seen that there are limitations. But more than qualifying, I try to support the path of dialogue”.
On the return flight from his trip to Kazakhstan, during the usual press conference with the journalistsThis is how Pope Francis responded to a question about the trial against Cardinal Zen, the bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, whose trial begins next Monday, September 19.
“To understand China it would take a century”, the pontiff had pointed out, “and we do not live a century. The Chinese mentality is a rich mentality and when it gets a little sick, it loses its wealth, it is capable of making mistakes. To understand us We have chosen the path of dialogue, to be open to dialogue. There is a Vatican-Chinese bilateral commission that is progressing well but slowly, because the Chinese pace is slow.” The Pope also added that “the governors of the provinces are all different, there are different cultures within China. But we must not lose patience, we must continue with the dialogue.”
As for the simultaneous presence in Kazakhstan of President Xi Jinping, Francis limited himself to replying that “he (Xi Jinping ed.) was there on a state visit, but I did not see him.” However, the news agency Reuters quoted an anonymous Vatican source as saying that the Holy See told China that the pope was willing to meet Xi Jinping while the two leaders were in the Kazakh capital. But China would have responded that there was not enough time. The source -adds Reuters– did not give details on how or when the Vatican would have expressed this availability to China.
The trial against Card. Joseph Zen Ze-kiun and five well-known members of the Hong Kong Democratic Front will kick off on Monday, September 19, at the West Kowloon Court. They are accused of not having correctly registered the 612 Fund of which they were administrators, and which was created to provide health and legal assistance to pro-democracy protesters. On the other hand, he is being prosecuted for a much more serious charge, the crime of “collusion” with foreign forces, in violation of the draconian national security law imposed by Beijing in the summer of 2020. Under these regulations, Card . Zen was arrested and released on bail after a few hours, on May 11.
“I have lost all the battles, but I am happy,” the cardinal told Father Gianni Criveller, a PIME missionary who met him in Hong Kong a few weeks ago. “He spoke to me naturally about his arrest and judicial hearings, but above all about the good he does by visiting prisons”, writes Fr. Criveller in an article published in mondoemissione.it. “He meets people who live stories of inner transformation far from the spotlight, but no less extraordinary for that. Some of the imprisoned leaders live their situation with a spirit of faith and testimony, and are willing to pay a high price for values in which they firmly believe. Some even come close to faith.”
Going back to Pope Francis’ press conference on the flight back from Kazakhstan, it was also an opportunity to talk about possible future trips. The pontiff responded that due to the pain in his knee “it is difficult, but I am going to make the next trip.” and the agency vaticannews He specified that he was referring to a trip to Bahrain next November, which had not yet been officially announced. Francis added that he had spoken with Anglican Primate Justin Welby about the possibility of a joint trip to South Sudan in February. “And if I go to South Sudan,” added the pontiff, “I will also go to the Democratic Republic of the Congo” (the other country that Francis was going to visit in July, on his trip to Africa, which was canceled due to his health condition). , ndr).
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