There is no peace in the Vatican. So far, there have been widespread grumbles, reasoned criticisms, and even continental uprisings, but no cardinal had publicly asked for the dismissal of another cardinal using Facebook. The internal atmosphere after the Fiducia Supplicans, the controversial document on blessings for gay couples, remains quite tense despite Pope Francis' reassurances that there have always been rebellious and problematic groups.
One of the freest voices in the college of cardinals, also called the Lion of Hong Kong for not being intimidated even by Beijing claiming democracy and therefore ending up in court, at ninety years old, continues his battle 'for the truth', as he states. And this time in front of the mess of blessings for gay couples, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun turned to Pope Francis asking him to drive away the author of that document, the Argentine Cardinal Victor Emanuel Fernandez, or at least induce him to resign. 'He is supporting a heresy by claiming a serious sin as something positive, good. But then shouldn't the prefect resign or be dismissed?'
In a reflection published on January 23 on his blog, Zen explained that the Fiducia Supplicans declaration contains too many contradictory passages to the point of requiring clarification. Moreover, 'it leaves many questions unanswered'. The reason is that according to Zen it does nothing but decriminalize the 'unnatural' sex of homosexual people, suggesting that their relationship would even have 'an intrinsic goodness' to the point of being able to 'mature and grow'.
Zen once again, as is his habit, spoke bluntly. In the past he had not hesitated to sign letters to the Pope along with four other cardinals in which doubts and theological problems to other documents were highlighted. In his opinion 'these forms of blessing express the supplication that God may grant those aids that come from his Spirit - that is something that classical theology calls real grace - so that human relationships can mature and grow in fidelity to the Gospel, that they can be freed from their imperfections and weaknesses and that they can express themselves in the ever-increasing dimension of divine love'.
Zen observed that there is only too much confusion around and it would be necessary to clarify to the faithful all over the world the nature of marriage, the relationship between man and woman, the only one that can truly be blessed by God. He also did not skimp on criticisms of the fact that the method used to spread Fiducia Supplicans showed 'serious contempt for the office of bishops, the successors of the apostles, the brothers of the Pope!'. There was no debate or consultation.
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