June, 2006

Hong Kong's New Cardinal - A Good Shepherd and Voice of Justice

Mary Mee-Yin Yuen

(The author is a researcher at Holy Spirit Seminary College of Theology and Philosophy in Hong Kong.)

Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, the bishop of Hong Kong of the Roman Catholic Church, has been elevated to the rank of cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI at a ceremony in Rome on March 25, 2006—the feast of the Annunciation. The elevation to cardinal of Bishop Zen is an uplifting experience for many Chinese Catholics all over the world. As one of the advisors of the pope, Cardinal Zen can give advice to the pope directly, including matters relating to the Church in China and the normalisation of ties between China and the Vatican. A normalisation of ties may not be easy to achieve though as the government-recognised "open" Church has ordained two bishops recently without papal approval.

Although the number of Catholic in Hong Kong is only about four percent of the population, the influence of the Catholic Church is not insignificant, and Cardinal Zen is considered one of the Catholic community's most influential figures.

Cardinal Zen is known for speaking out in defence of the rights of the marginalised and for more political participation. In the past, he has criticised the Hong Kong government's proposed national security legislation that people feared would threaten their freedoms and rights. He has also supported the introduction of universal suffrage to elect Hong Kong's chief executive and all members of the Legislative Council (Legco) as soon as possible. Moreover, he has encouraged Catholics to join the July 1 rallies since 2003 to express their opinions and protect their rights. His courageous and outspoken style has won the applause of many people, both inside and outside of the Church, who regard him as the conscience of the Church and society.

However, on the other hand, many others disagree with him, thinking that his views are too political in nature: his words and deeds may hinder the interests of the privileged and anger Beijing. Liu Bai-nian, vice chairman of the stated-sanctioned Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, even said that the elevation of Zen to cardinal is a hostile act against China and that Zen is a threat to the Chinese government.

Many people wonder whether Cardinal Zen will continue his outspoken style as he is one of journalists' favourite personalities for interviews. Despite the positive and negative comments towards the new cardinal, as a Catholic, I think that there are roles that a church leader should play in the Church and in society which relate to the mission of the Church. No matter what stance one holds on political issues, the mission of the Church should not be neglected.

Among them are to uphold freedom of religion and human dignity. This is stated explicitly in the documents of the Second Vatican Council. To protect religious freedom is not to say the privileges of the Church alone should be protected. Rather, it means all human beings "are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits." Moreover, "religious communities rightfully claim freedom in order that they may govern themselves according to their own norms." (Declaration on Religious Freedom Dignitatis Humanae, Vatican II document, 1967)

However, in mainland China, Catholics in China can only go to state-sanctioned churches led by state-appointed priests. Those who attend underground churches are considered illegal believers, and many have been arrested and detained. That is why Cardinal Zen, when talking about the China-Vatican relationship, emphasises that church leaders must have freedom to run the Chinese Church and not be dominated by the state-sanctioned Patriotic Association. Moreover, the appointment of bishops in China must be approved by the Holy See, although the Chinese government can participate in the face of current reality. This is to guarantee freedom of religion and that the Church in China can be in communion with the Holy See and churches in other parts of the world. As a Chinese cardinal, Zen will participate in the talk of the normalisation of ties, and surely he can uphold this principle. At any rate, building ties is just a means, not an end. The aim is to let Catholics in China enjoy real religious freedom.

Furthermore, upholding human dignity and advancing social justice is an inherent mission of the Catholic Church and every Christian. It is a mission generating from the doctrine of love. Thus, Cardinal Zen should continue to act as a moral guide in society, to speak out for the powerless and underprivileged and to remind the ruling class of what it should do to ensure that civil rights are protected and wealth is distributed fairly. A church leader does not need to consider gaining support from voters and can speak freely for those being neglected, such as new immigrants, welfare recipients and those deprived of human rights. Indeed, a preferential option for the poor is a principle highly valued in Catholic social teachings.

In Hong Kong, we do not expect Cardinal Zen to sacrifice or shed blood in order to uphold our faith, protect the truth and advance social justice. We do hope though that he can set a good example for other priests to follow to serve others and attend to others' needs and voices, just like Jesus, who came as a good shepherd to protect his sheep and not for the goodness of himself. At a time when the vocation of priests becomes less and less, we also hope that he can encourage Christians to strengthen their spirituality and discern their callings. More opportunities for the laity, both men and women, should be given to serve the Church if they have decided to respond to God's love as a lay member of the Church.