Hong Kong, China - A Catholic leader in China reproached a Hong Kong cardinal for marching in a pro-democracy protest, saying such political activism is why Beijing is reluctant to let the Vatican appoint Chinese bishops, a report said Tuesday.
The Chinese government's refusal to let the Vatican appoint bishops on the mainland is a key barrier to formal ties between Beijing and the Holy See.
China forced its Roman Catholics to cut ties with the Vatican in 1951, shortly after the officially atheist Chinese Communist Party took power. Worship is allowed only in government-controlled churches, which recognize the pope as a spiritual leader but appoint their own priests and bishops.
Liu Bainian, vice chairman of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, was quoted in the South China Morning Post as criticizing Zen for taking part in a pro-democracy protest Sunday, also the 10th anniversary of former British colony Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule.
Thousands of Hong Kongers marched to demand direct elections of all political offices. Hong Kong's leader is chosen by an 800-member committee loyal to Beijing and only half of the territory's 60 legislators are elected, with the rest picked by interest groups.
"I received a lot of phones calls and some asked why someone from the Catholic church would take to the streets when everybody in China and Hong Kong was celebrating the handover," Liu was quoted as saying.
"They said that if bishops in China were appointed by the Vatican, China's Catholic church would be over, and they would not agree to let this happen," he said.
"If all Catholics in Hong Kong followed suit by demonstrating, how can Hong Kong achieve stability? If the Vatican supports someone like him (Zen), how can it win China's trust?" the official added.
Calls to Zen seeking comment went unanswered.
Liu's comments came after Pope Benedict XVI Saturday issued a rare letter to China's 12 million Catholics.
Benedict lamented the lack of religious freedoms in China and called the government-sanctioned church "incompatible" with Catholic doctrine for appointing bishops without Vatican approval. But he also said he hoped the Vatican could reach an agreement with Beijing authorities on nominations.
Benedict also revoked 1988 Vatican regulations that had called for limiting contact with China's official clergy and excommunicating bishops consecrated without the pope's consent.
Millions of Catholics remain loyal to the pope and worship in secret, but priests and members of their congregations are frequently detained and harassed.