1. The Pope Abandons Cardinal Zen, As Hong Kong puts the bishop on trial, Francis still offers no support., By William McGurn, The Wall Street Journal, September 20, 2022, Pg. A15, OpinionThe trial [for Cardinal Joseph Zen] comes at an awkward time for the Vatican because its 2018 deal with China is now up for renewal. Will Pope Francis go ahead even as China puts his cardinal on trial on a patently ridiculous charge? … When a reporter asked about Cardinal Zen, the pope offered not a word of support, noting only that the cardinal “says what he feels” despite knowing there are “limitations.” The pope declined to even say China was undemocratic. All that was missing was a cock crowing in the background. … What would it take to admit the deal was a mistake? The brutal persecution of the Muslim Uyghurs? Beijing’s increasingly aggressive push to Sinicize the Catholic faith by making it serve the Chinese Communist Party? If a show trial for a cardinal doesn’t do it, what would? … “Martyrdom is normal in our church,” he said after his arrest. “We may not have to do that, but we may have to bear some pain and steel ourselves for our loyalty to our faith.” Plainly, the Communist Party of China and local Hong Kong authorities don’t know what to do with such a man. Sadly, neither does Pope Francis. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-pope-abandons-his-own-francis-cardinal-joseph-zen-hong-kong-trial-democracy-sino-vatican-accord-prison-11663616756?__________________________________________________________ 2. U.S. diocesan synod reports highlight ‘enduring wounds’ in Church, By John Lavenburg, Crux, September 20, 2022 Throughout the diocesan phase of the Synod on Synodality, U.S. Catholics consistently highlighted several “enduring wounds” that plague the nation’s Church, including the still-unfolding effects of the sexual abuse crisis, divisions over the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, and a perceived lack of unity among the nation’s bishops. The feedback was published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on Sept. 19 in a National Synthesis of the diocesan synod phase. The synthesis is the culmination of diocesan Synod reports and contributions from other Catholic entities since last fall. … Now that both the U.S. Bishops and Canadian Bishops have completed their national synod syntheses reports, both sides will work together on the continental phase of the Synod on Synodality that Pope Francis launched this month. https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2022/09/u-s-diocesan-synod-reports-highlight-enduring-wounds-in-church__________________________________________________________ 3. Thousands join March for Life in Berlin, By Catholic News Agency, September 20, 2022, 6:00 AM Around 4,000 participants took part in the March for Life in the German capital on Saturday in support of the right to life for all people from conception to natural death. “Like every year, the event was peaceful and joyful on the part of the participants,” the organizer, the Federal Association for the Right to Life, said, according to a report by CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252337/thousands-join-march-for-life-in-berlin__________________________________________________________ 4. As Eligibility Expands, Is Assisted Death Too Easy in Canada?, By Ian Austen, The New York Times, September 19, 2022, Pg. A7 Last year, Canada changed its assisted death law, permitting people with chronic, “grievous and irremediable” conditions and physical disabilities to commit suicide, even if they are not terminally ill. … [T]he change in the law has reignited debate over the system. In March the law will expand again, to apply to people with some mental disorders. A Parliamentary committee of lawmakers is studying what standards should govern those cases; its report is expected in the fall. Already, though, critics are saying Canada is now going too far. Among those critics are three United Nations disability and human rights experts, who said, in a letter to the Canadian government, that in legalizing assisted suicide for disabled people who are not terminally ill, the law, as written, has devalued their lives by suggesting “that significant disability can be worse than death.” https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/18/world/canada/medically-assisted-death.html__________________________________________________________ 5. Covid delays Cardinal Zen’s Hong Kong trial, According to sources close to the case, Cardinal Zen’s trial has been delayed after a positive Covid-19 test for a judge., By The Pillar, September 19, 2022, 10:51 AM The criminal trial of Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun was delayed in Hong Kong Monday, after a judge in the case tested positive for coronavirus, sources close to the case told The Pillar. The 90-year-old cardinal was due to appear in court in Hong Kong on Monday, to begin four days of hearings in his trial on charges to his role as a trustee of a local humanitarian fund. But the Sept. 19 hearing did not take place as planned. https://www.pillarcatholic.com/covid-delays-cardinal-zens-hong-kong-trial/__________________________________________________________

TCA Media Monitoring provides a snapshot from national newspapers and major Catholic press outlets of coverage regarding significant Catholic Church news and current issues with which the Catholic Church is traditionally or prominently engaged. The opinions and views expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect the views of The Catholic Association.
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