Hong Kong’s vocal Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen has been permitted to exit the city to attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City. The 93-year-old retired bishop, who was previously held back by local authorities, departed Hong Kong on Wednesday evening after securing legal permission to retrieve his passport. This was confirmed by his secretary. Zen’s travel documents were previously confiscated following his contentious arrest under the Beijing-mandated national security law in 2022.
Cardinal Zen is a fierce critic of the Vatican’s agreement with Chinese officials regarding the appointment of bishops, which he believes undermines the loyalty of Chinese Catholics to the Vatican. He has previously voiced his disapproval of Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, who plays a pivotal role in negotiations with China, by calling him a “man of little faith”. Parolin’s substantial influence within the Catholic hierarchy positions him as a strong candidate for the papacy.
Reports surfaced recently, indicating that Cardinal Zen expressed concern over the Vatican’s timing of pre-conclave meetings. Although the Associated Press could not confirm these reports independently, Cardinal Zen shared these reports on his social media platform. Despite his significance, Zen will not participate in the voting process during the conclave due to age restrictions.
Zen’s secretary expects him to return to Hong Kong after the pope’s funeral, scheduled for Saturday, although the exact date of his return remains uncertain. This is not Zen’s first experience with the court to obtain permission for travel. In 2023, he navigated a similar process to attend the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. That journey also included a private meeting with Pope Francis, after which Zen faced health challenges necessitating hospitalization upon his return.
In November of the previous year, Zen attended the national security trial of Jimmy Lai, an advocate for democracy, without assistance, signaling improved health. Zen’s initial arrest in 2022, under charges of colluding with foreign forces, created significant unrest within the Catholic community. Although he has not been charged on national security grounds, Zen, alongside others, was fined in 2022 for not registering a now-defunct fund supporting individuals detained during the 2019 pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong. An appeal against this conviction is set for December.
Meanwhile, Cardinal Stephen Chow from Hong Kong will attend the Vatican conclave, as announced by the city’s Catholic Social Communications Office. In 2023, a Beijing-appointed bishop accepted Chow’s invitation to visit Hong Kong, marking the first official visit of its kind. Analysts interpreted this move as a gesture that might enhance the precarious relationship between China and the Vatican.
The Philippines’ Communist Party’s ascension to power led to severed diplomatic ties with the Vatican and the expulsion of foreign clergy. In the aftermath, China’s Catholics have been bifurcated into those aligned with a state-sanctioned church and those allied with an underground church faithful to the pope. The Vatican acknowledges the members of both groups but reserves the right to appoint bishops.