Cardinal Zen discusses his new book for Lent and concerns for the Church

Asked to comment on the first session of the Synod on Synodality in Rome, Zen said that in his view, the synod organizers want “absolute democracy.”

Before the start of the synod last year, Zen voiced his concerns to his brother bishops and cardinals in a letter that was leaked to the media. 

“The synod secretariat is very efficient at the art of manipulation,” Zen wrote in the letter, adding that “often they claim not to have any agenda. This is truly an offense to our intelligence. Anybody can see which conclusions they are aiming at.”

Speaking to Arroyo, Zen said: “Now, the word synodality is a new word in the Church, so you need a clear explanation of what is our understanding of synodality, not just from the etymological source of the word, because the Church is using the word synod for so many centuries and synodality comes from synod.”

Zen said that “our people, they were simply taking [it] to mean more participation, more communion. But now we realize that they understand something different. And so they have another understanding, which I think, in simple words, this new synodality means democracy, just as they are talking about in Germany, or even at the very beginning, after Vatican [II], in the Netherlands,” he said.

“And so they want absolute democracy. Then if that is approved, anything can be changed, and the doctrine of faith and about morality,” Zen indicated.

Latin Mass restrictions

Zen also discussed the restrictions placed upon the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass originally outlined in Pope Francis’ 2021 motu proprio Traditionis Custodes.

He said that he is “surprised about this strong campaign” to limit the Latin Mass. “At least as far as I know, those people who cherish that Mass, they are some good people.”

Zen said that people should be aware of the many different liturgical rites offered in the Church. 

“We have many Catholic dioceses of the Oriental rites,” Zen said. “They are very different from the post-Vatican II Mass. And so why should they be so worried about one more, which is not new, which was the Mass for years in the Church?” Zen said. 

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Watch the full “World Over” interview with Zen below.