Pope Francis does not understand communism and is making a grave error in judgment in forging a deal with Beijing, said retired Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong in an extensive interview with The Wall Street Journal.
Cardinal Zen said that the Vatican's effort to forge a historic deal with Beijing on the appointment of bishops is a mistake and that China's underground Catholics don't need it.
"The underground church is evangelizing very well," said Cardinal Zen, despite government repression and hostility.
"Pope Francis has no real knowledge of communism," he said adding that he has no experience with a communist government that has killed large numbers of the national population.
"I'm sorry to say that in his goodwill he has done many things which are simply ridiculous," said the cardinal about Pope Francis. These include his advances with both the communist governments of China and Cuba who he said the pope courted at the ostensible expense of human rights.
However, Cardinal Zen told The Wall Street Journal that still he's the pope, so even if a deal is signed, he said, he will not protest it when done.