'We did nothing wrong': banned Hong Kong politician on oath-taking protest Read more“Maybe the pope is a little naive, he doesn’t have the background to know the Communists in China,” Zen said at the Salesian school in Hong Kong where he still teaches. The state-controlled China Catholic Patriotic Association controls the church and appoints bishops, currently without any input from the Vatican. An “underground” Catholic church exists, with some estimates saying it is larger than the official one, and its members and clergy have faced persecution by authorities. Zen complained that most supporters of the deal did not truly know China, lacking first-hand experience with the state of the church under the Communists. “If you cannot get a good deal, an acceptable deal, then the Vatican should walk away and maybe try again later,” he added.

Source: The Guardian November 28, 2016 01:07 UTC