German prelate Cardinal Gerhard Cardinal Müller has emerged as a leading figure in the orthodox camp of the Catholic Church over the past few years and has established himself a counterweight to the prevailing liberal trends. Back in early September, Müller expressed dismay at the Vatican’s silence on China’s abuses and Cardinal Joseph Zen’s then-imminent “unfair” trial.
Speaking with Il Messengero at the time, the former Prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith said that, during a recent consistory, not even the Pope mentioned Zen, with “no solidarity document, no prayer initiative for” the Hong Kong cleric. Echoing Zen’s own fears, Müller said he believed the deal the Vatican inked with China undermines the possibility of support for Zen, warning the deal “does not serve the interests of the Holy See”.
