Cardinal Joseph Zen, a humanitarian and the outspoken critic of China’s Communist Party, was found guilty on charges relating to his role in a relief fund used by members of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protest movement. The 90-year-old and five others were found guilty for failing to register the now-defunct 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund” used to pay protesters’ legal fees.
Read MoreAfter just two days into the trial of retired Chinese Cardinal Joseph Zen and five co-defendants, a Hong Kong magistrates’ court adjourned the proceedings until Oct. 26. The sudden turn of events took place on Wednesday in a trial that officials had said would last five days.
Read MoreHong Kong pro-democracy leader and Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen told Religion Unplugged that if the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were to pull out of cooperation with the Vatican and attempt to maintain an entirely Chinese Catholic Church without the pope as its head, the entire organization will be rejected by the laity. New regulations on the Church go into effect May 1 and appear designed to block the Vatican’s control of the Church inside China.
Read MoreThe highest court in the U.S. overturned an attendance limit on New York houses of worship, Europeans deal with miscommunication over anti-radicalization policy, Greece joins the Serbian Orthodox Church in a battle over safety in worship as the pandemic tears through their highest-ranking clergy, and China eyes a new law to control religious appointments.
Read MoreIn a handwritten letter sent exclusively to Religion Unplugged, Cardinal Joseph Zen reflected on the Vatican’s continued cooperation with the Chinese Communist Party, declaring the Church in China “schismatic,” and placing the blame on Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin.
Read MoreWhy a federal court has denied petitions from a Native American tribe to stop construction on land they claim their ancestors are buried, how two Chilean churches were set ablaze during protests against inequality and the latest world leader to demand a UN investigation of China’s abuses against Uighurs.
Read MoreThe Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a bipartisan Congressional caucus, held a panel on July 30 to discuss the imprisonment, torture and believed death of Catholic Bishop James Su Zhimin. Su’s treatment by the Chinese Communist Party is representative of other violations of religious freedom in the country, and panelists believe it is time for the Holy See to cut ties with the country.
Read More(OPINION) The Chinese Government facilitated the transfer of Uighur Muslims and other ethnic minorities from Xinjiang to factories in various parts of China, and big companies have profitted from the forced-labor.
Read MoreToday, China continues to escalate its massive suppression of Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, Jews and Uighur Muslims.
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