Thursday, July 9, 2020

Francis Self-Censors Himself on Hong Kong

The page with the hastily published words of Francis about the situation in Hong Kong is no longer accessible.

(Rome) The western left stages a “Black Lives Matter” grotesque, but cannot find a word to describe the situation in Hong Kong. And Pope Francis is doing the same.


Il sismografo is a half-official press review, which is located somewhere between the Vaticanistic Press Office and State Secretariat and headed by the Chilean Luis BadillaIts contacts are correspondingly good. Badilla published Pope Francis' entire address to Angelus yesterday - albeit prematurely. But first, the text as it appears on the side of the sismografo had been published:


“Vatican: After the Angelus, Pope Francis speaks about the situation in Hong Kong. He calls for respect for freedom, dialogue and a consensual search for problem solving. 

Text of the Pope's address.

Situation in Hong Kong 

In these recent times, I have followed the development of the complex situation in Hong Kong with special attention and not without worry, and above all I wish to express my warm closeness to all residents of that territory. In the current context, the topics covered are undoubtedly delicate and affect everyone's lives; therefore it is understandable if there is a pronounced sensitivity in this regard. I therefore hope that everyone involved will be able to tackle the various problems with the spirit of far-sighted wisdom and authentic dialogue. This requires courage, humility, non-violence and respect for the dignity and rights of all. I also raise my voice that social life, and especially religious life, can express itself in full and genuine freedom, as is otherwise provided for in various international documents. With my constant prayer I accompany the entire Catholic community and the people of good will in Hong Kong so that together they can build a prosperous and harmonious society. ”

The first published page with words from Francis about the situation in Hong Kong

As far as the text of the relevant experts of the Vatican Secretariat of State for the speech after yesterday's Angelus prepared and advance about the embargo had been forwarded to the sismografo, who then published it prematurely. Because everything turned out differently.


In his speech Francis said nothing about Hong Kong. He didn't even mention the former British crown colony. The post on the sismografo was quickly deleted. The eagerness to publish, however, allows a look behind the scenes. It became apparent that Francis was self-censoring against the Communist authorities in the People's Republic of China. The Beijing regime is gradually reducing the special status of Hong Kong. This small zone of freedom in the "Middle Kingdom" is to be removed, which also plays a central role not least for the Catholics. It's no coincidence now that the current Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen, for many years the gray eminence of the Chinese underground Church and raising his dauntless voice against the new Ostpolitik of the Holy See under Francis. Overall, this is characterized by self-censorship.


A statement by the Vatican press office as to why the text was changed has not yet been issued. It coincides with the silence of the global and especially the otherwise hyperactive western left when it comes to the Communist People's Republic of China.

Black Lives Matter distorts a single case into a fictitious race problem, igniting an anti-white racism and an iconoclastic assault on Western history.


Given the viral zeal for  which the irrational "Black Lives Matter" - complete with humiliating genuflections-  supported fully by Pope Francis -  his silence on the real situation in Hong Kong is downright spooky.

In the former case, the global left is against US President Donald Trump, in the latter case a Communist regime is spared embarrassment. The Wall Street Journal has named Pope Francis immediately after the election of Donald Trump as the world left's new leader, while Curia Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the political arm of the Pope, who praised the Communist regime in Beijing as the world's best exemplar of the Church's social doctrine.


All of this has existed since the Bolshevik October Revolution of 1917. The political left appears to be largely neither willing nor able to learn. What is new is that the Holy See behaves like an integral part of it.


Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Il sismografo / Vatican.va (screenshots)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com


AMDG

2 comments:

  1. "It's no coincidence now that the current Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen, for many years the gray eminence of the Chinese underground Church and {is} raising his voice against the new Ostpolitik of the Holy See under Francis."

    Apart from the grammatical error, which I have suggested a correction for, there is an omission.

    Cardinal Zen was Bishop of Hong Kong until his retirement, then Cardinal Tong until his retirement, then Bishop Michael Yeung until his death in January 2019.

    Now we do not have a Bishop of Hong Kong, only an Apostolic Administrator, Cardinal Tong, brought out of retirement. Bishop Ha was thought to be too likely to cause a rift with Beijing, though he is not as outspoken as Cardinal Zen.

    Cardinal Tong as Apostolic Administrator has prohibited reception of Holy Communion on the tongue - a right of all Catholics that cannot be removed according to the Church's own doctrine - via "guidelines" more rigidly enforced than others relating to Holy Communion.

    The hypocrisy of the hierarchy in Hong Kong is astounding in this matter, which is purely internal to the Church.

    While we hear many words from Cardinal Zen on the political situation here in Hong Kong, he is strangely silent on the internal matter over which he might have more influence.

    Why, I wonder?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe he thinks it’s out of his hands or that he’s already been told privately to mind his own business?

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