Letters | Why Hong Kong Catholics need not worry about future of city

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Cardinal Joseph Zen (centre) joins Christians (both Catholics and Protestants) in a protest rally from Causeway Bay to the central government headquarters in Admiralty, to mark the death of democracy in Hong Kong on March 30, 2019. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 6:45am, 8 Oct 2020Updated: 6:45am, 8 Oct 2020

Last month, retired bishop Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun flew to Rome, aiming to meet Pope Francis and ask him to choose a bishop for Hong Kong as soon as possible. In an interview with the Post, he stressed that politics should be kept out of the selection process (“Cardinal Zen appeals to Pope to keep politics out of Hong Kong bishop decision”, September 30).

His good intentions might have gained the support of many who also believe that religion should be separated from state power. Yet, the cardinal went on to tell the reporter that he worried the church would choose a successor that supported China. That statement contradicted the political neutrality he demanded of the pope.

For many years, Cardinal Zen is known to have mingled with controversial political figures and played an active role in all Hong Kong’s big and small political events – the annual June 4 candlelight vigil, Occupy Central and the social movement in 2019. As a senior priest, his major mission should be to be the light of the world and to spread the good word of God. Getting involved with politicians gives the public the impression that the church has a political stance, which will create division in the community.

Around the same time, a pastoral letter by Cardinal John Tong was published in response to the extreme behaviour of some Catholics in relation to the protests (“Hong Kong’s Catholic leader slams those who would justify violence, sow divisions”, September 24).

Cardinal John Tong Hon (right) presides over a mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Central on December 7, 2019. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

He noted that “the social teaching of the church has never endorsed hatred and violence as the means to achieve justice”, though it supports democracy which can only be established through hard work over a long period. Importantly, all priests were reminded to inspire Catholics with the social teaching of the church instead of influencing them in areas of social concern.