The powerful leader of the Catholic Church in Beijing yesterday made a rare indirect criticism of Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, the outspoken bishop of Hong Kong, saying it was 'inappropriate' to mix politics and religion.
But Bishop Zen said he understood the situation that Bishop Michael Fu Tieshan, head of the Beijing Catholic Diocese, found himself in. He said that the atmosphere on the mainland had forced the Beijing bishop to 'act against his own will'.
Bishop Fu is a stalwart of the China Patriotic Catholic Association, the official church on the mainland which refuses to accept the authority of the Vatican.
Many mainland priests and bishops are known to have accepted the Pope's authority and received his recognition in return, but it is understood that Bishop Fu is not among them.
In addition to his post within the church, Bishop Fu is also a member of the National People's Congress (NPC), which is at present meeting in the capital.
When asked after an NPC meeting in Beijing to comment on recent statements by his Hong Kong counterpart, Bishop Fu said politics and religion should not mix.
'It doesn't matter how important our position, members of the clergy should 'Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God'. It is not appropriate to fault any of these two sides,' he said.
