The once-prisoner of the Red Chinese, Cardinal Zen, stated: 'Obviously, the purpose of this conference was to overthrow the hierarchical class of the church and implement a democratic system,' wrote Cardinal Joseph Zen about the Synod on Synodality.
From lifesitenews.com and written by Michael Haynes, Snr. Vatican Correspondent
"VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Joseph Zen has issued a strong warning about the Synod on Synodality and the persistent division resulting from Fiducia Supplicans, saying the “future of the Church” is “uncertain” unless issues are resolved.
“I feel most anxious about how this so-called ‘synodality’ of the Synod of Bishops can be concluded smoothly,” began Zen, the emeritus bishop of Hong Kong.
The cardinal’s latest essay, published October 17, renews his prior concern and criticism about the Synod on Synodality, but also ties in to the controversial 2023 declaration Fiducia Supplicans which approved same-sex “blessings.”
Synodality to ‘overthrow’ the Church’s hierarchy
Zen presented a traditional understanding of a synod, explaining that “there is a church document that explains the Synod (meeting), an important historical fact of the Church, that the Synod is a structure in history through which the hierarchy leads the Church.”
The Synod on Synodality is comprised of lay and clerical voters, in a seismic change which has prompted much criticism that it is no longer a Synod of Bishops. Synod leaders have persistently posited the “common dignity of Baptism” as the rationale behind lay and clerical voters present at the Synod.
READ: EXCLUSIVE: Bp. Schneider says Synod on Synodality serves up ‘spiritual poisons’ to the faithful
But Zen warned that while all the Church should engage in “the mission of evangelization,” only “the hierarchy can ensure the direction of the Church’s journey and safeguard the content of the faith handed down from the apostles. Jesus entrusted the Church to the ‘apostolic college headed by Peter,’ and the successors of the apostles are the bishops.”
The synod’s multi-year process and large scale plan for involving people was “unprecedented in its scale,” commented Zen.
But he raised concerns about the procedure:
At the continental level, the central secretariat clearly exercised strict control using specific procedures: emphasis on sharing and avoidance of discussion. Unexpectedly, the same approach was used at the official Synod.
Zen joined Cardinal Gerhard Müller and Bishop Athanasius Schneider in critiquing the involvement of lay voters, making the striking statement that “[o]bviously, the purpose of this conference was to overthrow the hierarchical class of the Church and implement a democratic system.”
READ: Cardinal Müller criticizes ‘heretics and globalists’ at Synod, reaffirms ‘God never blesses sin’
“The Pope had the right to convene any advisory meeting, but the Synod of Bishops pioneered by Pope Paul VI was specifically designed to enable the Pope to hear the opinions of his brother bishops,” he added. “With ‘non-bishops voting together, it was no longer a Synod of Bishops.”
Outlining a way for the meeting to be true to the identity of a synod, Zen opined that “it should return to the way it was when the Synod was first established, which worked well for many years: that is, to let the bishops lead, discuss and vote, and present their recommendations to the Pope for his consideration as fellow bishops.”
He urged his fellow bishops to “fight for more power, and at least prevent non-bishops from voting with them.”
Same-sex blessings
Zen levied particular criticism at Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J. – Relator General of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops; Cardinal Mario Grech – Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod; and Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández – prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith:
From the beginning of this synod, the two cardinals leading the assembly and the Pope’s appointed head of the doctrinal office did not emphasize preserving the faith, but emphasized making changes to, in particular, the operational structure of the Church and its ethical teachings; and the ethical justification of “sex,” especially regarding homosexual relationships.
Zen made reference to the famous Dubia he issued with four other cardinals last year which pertained, among other things, to the subject of same-sex “blessings.” The Pope’s lengthy reply, approving same-sex “blessings” in some cases, came just one day later – which prompted Zen last year to suggest it had been pre-written by the synod leaders.
This charge he repeated in his new essay: “The answer could not have been written by the Pope himself that day. It was obviously prepared by the person in charge of the conference to support their arguments for changing the Church’s doctrine.”
Confusion must be resolved for future of the Church
Zen has been a leading critic of Fiducia Supplicans, calling on its author, Cardinal Fernández, to resign while warning that it is “a heresy when you call a sin as something good.”
Francis and Fernández have stated that the document is not up for further discussion, something which Zen now styled as “a rude act, not allowing the bishops to discuss it, and ‘they’ have reached a conclusion on that issue.”
He highlighted the “major split within the church and chaos among the faithful” following the document’s release last December. “This was rare in the history of the Church,” he said, adding that while “the Pope and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith expressed their ‘understanding’ in the face of this situation,” they did not withdraw the document.
“Will this issue be discussed at the 2024 meeting?” he queried.
READ: Cardinal Zen warns of pro-LGBT Synod ‘agenda,’ ‘great confusion’ caused by Fiducia Supplicans
Zen urged his brother bishops to persuade the Pope not to implement Fiducia Supplicans, and warned that if the issue “is not resolved at the meeting [Synod 2024] the future of the Church will be very uncertain”:
I would have thought that at least the question of blessing same-sex partnerships should be spared endless debate. I hope the bishops will persuade the Pope to decide to postpone the implementation of that statement sine die (indefinitely). Jesus told Peter, “Tu aliquando conversus, confirma fratres tuos” [“thou, being once converted, confirm thy brethren,” not] After you have thoroughly considered it, confirm your brothers.
If this issue is not resolved at the meeting, the future of the Church will be very uncertain, because some friends of the patriarch and the pope who insist on changing Church traditions continue to vigorously promote their plans.
He decried the LGBT lobby which he described as “actively promoting their plans outside the assembly hall while the assembly is in session,” as evidenced by recent events hosted by Father James Martin and New Ways Ministry.
“What is worrying is that even those so-called ‘new pastoral ministers’ who advocate gender change have been warmly received by the Pope in recent days,” continued Zen, making a direct reference to to New Ways Ministry’s papal audience last weekend.
Synod to split the Church?
Members of the synod are currently discussing whether to afford local bishops’ conferences increased autonomy, including on whether to be able to decide doctrine on a local level. The question has reportedly received pushback in the synod hall, but it remains to be seen what the final document will recommend to the Pope.
READ: Synod proposal could give ‘doctrinal authority’ to local bishops’ conferences
Warning about this focus and synodality itself, Zen said that “this is tantamount to discussing whether lay people should have more rights to ‘share’ the responsibilities of hierarchical ‘pastors.’”
“If those advocating this change cannot win over the whole Church, will they fight for diversity among local churches?,” he questioned.
Will individual Bishops’ Conferences have an independent position on matters of faith? This is a frightening prospect. If this idea succeeds, we will no longer be Catholic (the Anglican Church in London has approved same-sex marriage, and their followers have become a minority of less than 20% of the global Anglican Church. Can we not be vigilant?)
The cardinal closed by recommending his readers not to be anxious but to turn to prayer and penance in the timeless custom of the Church:
It is useless for us to be anxious about these problems. Fasting, praying (especially the rosary)! We must never despair."
Full coverage of the Synod on Synodality can be found at this link here on LifeSiteNews, and on the X account of LifeSite’s Vatican correspondent.
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Pray for the defeat of these modernist monsters -- and for strength and honor!!
Viva Cristo Rey! Bl. Fr. Miguel Pro, Fr. Emil Kapaun and Fr. Vincent Capodanno, pray for us...
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle...
St. Joseph pray for us!!
Gene DeLalla
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