Often he is called the conscience of China, Joseph Cardinal Zen, SDB, 79, visited members of the US government this week. The cardinal has stood against any thinking that doesn't support life issues --human rights. Zen is the bishop emeritus of Hong Kong. He's been critical of those who talk without knowing the situation and unable to make crucial distinctions in policy. That is, Zen belives the 2007 letter of the Pope has been wrongly interpreted by members of the Roman Curia. Where the Pope talks about reconciliation of mind and heart, influential members of the Curia talk about a reunification of the two Chinese communities: the open church and the underground church. Reconcilation and renunification are the same thing and ought to be confused for each other. Pope Benedict never talks about reunification. He does talk about reconcilation. The premises are different.
Church (ecclesiology): April 2011 Archives
Continue reading The Zen of China: things are unwell.
This Sunday & coming Tuesday the lay ecclesial movement Focolare is celebrating their 50th anniversary in the United States of America.
The 50th Anniversary of the
Focolare Movement Sunday, April 3 at 2pm: Archbishop Timothy Dolan will
celebrate a Mass for the 50th anniversary of the Focolare Movement in North
America at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Tuesday, April 5 from 9 am - 4:30 pm
On the
occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Focolare Movement's presence in the
United States, this conference at Fordham University, "The Spirituality of
Unity: a Gift for our Times," delves into the unique resources that the
Focolare spirituality of unity might offer for transcending divisions and
joining together to sustain constructive projects for the common good. Topics
for discussion include the "Economy of Communion," featured in Pope Benedict's
2009 social encyclical, Caritas in veritate; as well as the "Love of Neighbor
and the Law" interfaith project for lawyers, judges and law students.
All those
interested may review the the program & register at: law.fordham.edu/unity.
Read John Allen's NCR article, "Memo to a divided church: meet the Focolare": Memo to a divided church- Meet the Focolare, John Allen March 10, 2011.pdf
Varkey Vithayathil, 84, a Redemptorist, bishop, cardinal and Major Archbishop for the Syro-Malabar Church (in India) died suddenly today of a heart attack at 2pm Ernakulam time.Cardinal Vithayathil was ordained a priest in 1954 and ordained a bishop in 1996. In 1999, he appointed the Major Archbishop by Pope John Paul II. The same pope created Vithayathil a cardinal in 2001 giving him the title of San Bernardo alle Terme.
Trained in Canon Law at the Angelicum, Vithayathil taught the subject in the Redemptorist seminary. For a term he served as the Father Provincial of the Redemptorists of India and Sri Lanka and later serving as the Apostolic Administrator of a Benedictine abbey of monks.
Cardinal Vithayathil was a supporter of the 5th Marian doctrine, that of Mary's role in salvation history as the co-redemptrix.
Pope Benedict's telegram upon hearing of Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil.
This will mean the Church will have a third election of a Major Archbishop in 2011. The Maronite and Ukrainian Greek Catholic Churches have just recently elected new heads.
About the author
