Cardinal Joseph Zen has said that the Chinese government deliberately
challenged Pope Francis by forcing the participation of an
excommunicated bishop in the ordination of two new Chinese bishops.
Cardinal Zen said that the ordination ceremonies—which had been
authorized by both the Vatican and the Chinese regime, but disrupted
when officials insisted that bishop who had been illicitly ordained must
take part—showed the failure of the Vatican’s efforts to reach a
mutually acceptable agreement with Beijing on the appointment of
bishops.
Cardinal Zen has consistently argued that the Chinese regime
will not allow religious freedom, and the Vatican should not seek an
accommodation with the regime.
The cardinal also voiced dismay that the Vatican has not issued any
statement to denounce the officials’ interference with the November
ordination ceremonies.