Cardinal Zen: Has the Church become like the Anglicans? Is the Church Committing Suicide?
On 19 November, Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen, 93, wrote on his blog, OldYosef.HkCatholic.com, about the history and dangers of the Synod.
He recalls that Francis "regrettably" restructured this institution of bishops to include lay members. Thus, it became a hybrid "consultative assembly of the baptised", convened under the name of Synod.
However, Cardinal Zen is more concerned that the central leaders of the Synod clearly sought to advance significant reforms to Church doctrine and discipline.
He accuses the synod leaders of wasting meeting time with childish "conversations in the Spirit", and of avoiding formal discussion as much as possible. Meanwhile, a large group of facilitators, experts, secretaries and undersecretaries controlled the assembly.
Regarding the final document, Cardinal Zen notes that Francis endorsed it as his "papal teaching". Francis urged everyone to read, understand and implement it 'on a trial basis', with the outcomes of the entire experiment to be reviewed …More
In his comments today, 11/21/25, at the 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference in the USA, Leo just invited the young people to let their voices be heard in shaping the church of tomorrow - everyone needs to be included in these "conversations of the spirit" - mentioned by Cardinal Zen. Also, in the final synod document for 2024, all the baptized, i.e., Protestants of any and all stripes, are now included in the term, "people of God," which means Protestant heresies are now included in the "sensus fidei."
In these "conversations of the spirit," everyone is welcome - everyone is an "oracle of truth" - it's modernism and gnosticism on steroids - it's not the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church will remain and be protected by Our Lord until His return - however, it will be found "underground" - back to the catacombs, in small remnant communities. This is now underway ----
Cardinal Zen appears to be a good man, and much of what he says is orthodox. However, he is unwilling to concede that the Second Vatican Council is the source of the current problems in the Church. He fails to understand that all the post-Vatican II popes (including Pope Benedict XVI, who raised him to the rank of cardinal) will point to the 16 documents of the Council as the authority for their heterodoxical actions.
actually, I think what you are saying the institutional Church is committing suicide and killing her. What is happening is that THE Church is going figuratively... and some places literally.... underground. The Church which is Militant, Suffering and Triumphant is existent, actual, genuine, literal.
Yes, the Church has been committing suicide since before Vatican II, which just sped up the demolition process.
"Is this the Catholic Church committing suicide by assimilating with the world?".
No, only the synodal church. The Catholic Church will endure to the end.
I am certain Cardinal Zen would concur. Having lived under Communist oppression, and seen an ideologically and synodally driven 'Catholic Church' inert in its response, he is likely referring to this ideological entity which, for now, has muzzled the true Faith, only to create the forum for its own demise. The Catholic Church and the phoenix have been symbolically allied for a reason. The true Faith will rise from the synodal ashes; the Temple will be rebuilt.