In Hong Kong, a trial has begun for a cardinal who is 90 years old.
In Hong Kong, the trial of Cardinal Joseph Zen on sedition charges has begun.
Along with five others, the 90-year-old cardinal is on trial for his role in the now-defunct 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which gave legal and financial aid to pro-democracy activists.
The trial was supposed to begin last week, but it was postponed as the judge recovered from a case of Covid-19.
Along with Denise Ho, Margaret Ng, Cyd Ho, Hui Po-keung, and Sze Ching-wee, all of whom are former government officials, Cardinal Zen is on trial for corruption.
In May, the world was stunned by the arrest of the former bishop of Hong Kong.
Because of his silence over the cardinal’s arrest and trial in China, Pope Francis has been accused of betrayal.
The Vatican issued a brief statement the day Cardinal Zen was arrested, saying merely that it was monitoring events “with utmost interest.”
Recent questions about whether or not the prosecution of Cardinal Zen constitutes a breach of religious freedom were met with the Pope’s reaffirmation of his commitment to dialogue with China.
A century is needed to fully comprehend China, but unfortunately, our lifespans are far shorter than that.
“Because of our desire to learn from one another, we have decided to choose the route of communication.
“Understanding the Chinese mind is difficult, but it is important to do so.
“Familiarity with Chinese culture is a huge asset. But there’s no need to become frustrated; we need to keep talking things out.”
Since the passage of the National Security Law in 2020, several pro-democracy activists, including Cardinal Zen, have been arrested and put on trial.
Some months after the ordinance was enacted, Christian activist Joshua Wong was arrested along with others.
Not long after the passage of the National Security Law, Cardinal Zen said that he was ready to stand trial and serve his sentence in jail.
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