The Catholic Weekly 21 August 2022

catholicweekly.com.au 2 NEWS 21, August, 2022 AT A pre-trial hearing in Hong Kong, a judge set a five-day trial for Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun and four other de- fendants who face charges of failing to properly register a now-defunct fund to help an- ti-government protesters. According to a 9 August report by the Hong Kong Free Press news agency, Magis- trate Ada Yim announced that the trial will take place on 19-23 September after asking prosecutors and the defendants’ lawyers if five days would be sufficient for the court to hear the case. Both sides agreed. The 90-year-old cardinal was detained May 11 under China’s national security law. However, he and the four oth- ers were charged with failing to properly register the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, set up to offer financial assistance to those involved in anti-gov- ernment protests in 2019. It was disbanded last year after coming under scrutiny by au- thorities. Lawyers for both sides will argue whether the 612 Hu- manitarian Relief Fund fell under Hong Kong’s Societies Ordinance, which regulates registered and exempted as- sociations. The Hong Kong Free Press reported that prosecutors and defence lawyers also will ar- gue whether the defendants held any positions of author- ity within the relief fund. The national security law made participating in or sup- porting the pro-democracy movement crimes of sub- version and collusion with foreign organisations and allowed for those remand- ed to be extradited to main- land China. Punishment ranges between a minimum of three years and a maxi- ¾ Junno Arocho Esteves China puts prelate, 90, on trial mum of life imprisonment. All five defendants pleaded not guilty. If convicted of the improper registration, each defendant could incur a fine of about $1,300. A longtime critic of the Chi- nese government, Cardinal Zen drew Beijing’s ire for his continued critique of the Vat- ican’s controversial 2018 deal with China regarding the ap- pointment of bishops. Originally signed in 2018 and renewed in 2020, the agreement reportedly allows the pope to approve or veto bishops nominated by the Chinese Communist Party. So far, only six bishops have been Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, retired bishop of Hong Kong. PHOTO: CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING appointed, ordained and in- stalled under the agreement; the last was announced in September 2021. Cardinal Zen has said he was concerned the deal would “kill” the unofficial or un- derground church in China, whose leaders refuse to regis- ter with the state-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. In an interview published on 8 August with Italian ge- opolitical magazine Limes , Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vat- ican secretary of state, said the agreement reinforces the church’s concern in appoint- ing “authentic shepherds ac- cording to Christ’s heart”. Conversely, he said, the agreement also establishes that “in certain situations, it also accepts to meet particu- lar needs, such as certain re- quests expressed by the politi- cal authorities.” Cardinal Parolin said that although an evaluation of the agreement’s results was underway, “I think I can say that steps forward have been taken.” However, he admitted, “not all obstacles and difficul- ties have been overcome, and therefore there is still a long way to go for its proper imple- mentation and also, through sincere dialogue, for its refine- ment.” - CNS I n this edition News Movies, books Archbishop’s homily Editorial & Letters 1-11 8-9 25 28-29 EDITOR Peter Rosengren (02) 9390 5400 REPORTERS Marilyn Rodrigues (02) 9390 5410 Debbie Cramsie (02) 9390 5396 Adam Wesselinoff (02) 9390 5400 SUBSCRIPTIONS Rita Ng (02) 9390 5411 ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Steve Richards (02) 9390 5404 Katie Clarke (02) 9390 5402 DESIGNERS Renate Cassis Mathew De Sousa Our story begins in 1839 with the Australasian Chronicle, continuing with the Freeman’s Journal in 1850. Level 13, Polding Centre, 133 Liverpool Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9390 5400 | Vol 73, No 5248 The Catholic Weekly is published by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney ABN 60 471 267 587 and is printed by Spotpress Pty Ltd, 24-26 Lilian Fowler Place, Marrickville NSW 2204. “As a convert, I never expected much from the bishops. In all history popes and bishops and fa- ther abbots seem to have been blind and power loving and greedy. I never expected leadership from them. It is the saints that keep appearing all through history who keep things going. What I do expect is the bread of life and down through the ages there is that continuity.” - Dorothy Day, Letter to Gordon Zahn 1968 QUOTABLE CatholicWeekly The DOWNLOAD THE OUR FAITH OUR WORKS APP Your one-stop location for Mass and Confession times, spiritual reflections and meditations, podcasts, local Catholic news, the Go Make Disciples mission plan, and much more. 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