Pope Benedict XVI has declined to accept the resignation of Cardinal Joseph Zen, the Hong Kong diocese has revealed.Cardinal Zen has reached the canonical retirement age, having celebrated his 75th birthday in January.
And the Chinese cardinal has indicated that he would like to be released from his pastoral duties, so that he might devote his full attention to the cause of religious freedom in China.
But in response to the cardinal’s formal offer of resignation, the Pope has written to Cardinal Zen, asking him to continue serving as Bishop of Hong Kong.
The Pope’s letter was not unexpected, a spokesman for the cardinal said.
Dominic Yung told the Associated Press: “The Pope had already verbally told him to stay on the job, some time ago.”
Cardinal Zen has been the most visible Chinese prelate involved in discussions of the delicate relationship between Rome and Beijing.
Especially since he was elevated to the College of Cardinals in March 2006, he has been a prominent critic of the Chinese government’s restrictions on the Church.
In a February interview with the BBC, he charged that the Chinese ordinations of bishops without approval of the Holy See were “acts of war against the Church.”
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