Cardinals Mindszenty and Zen: Popes Francis and Blessed Pope Paul VI

          Pope Francis and Cardinal Zen Above.  Cardinal Mindszenty and Pope Paul VI Below. 

On February 12,  2018, Cardinal Joseph Zen, Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, met with Pope Francis in Rome.  He expressed "worries about the Pope's faithful children in China" in reference to the recent actions of Pope Francis in giving recognition to the Church set up by the Communist regime there, which is a copy of the Roman Catholic Church, but, follows the leadership of the Communist Party.  In China the state religion is atheism. Catholicism is violently opposed. Francis is known for his leanings toward Communism. (which is anti Catholic) !! Is Pope Francis a Communist? Was this a Papal threat of some sort?

Pope Francis replied, to the worries of Cardinal Zen, that he did not want to "make another Mindszenty case." Catholics of the 'underground Church in China and in Hungary have undergone horrendous hardships of torture, kangaroo trials and death by such horrors as being buried alive in punishment for standing up for their faith.

So how is this connected to Pope Paul VI?

Here is one of several 'talking points' given to President Johnson by Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to prepare him for a scheduled meeting with Pope Paul VI who was to be in Washington, D.C. on October 3, 1965:

RE: CARDINAL MINDSZENTY  (talking point)
"The Pope should raise this, since we are doing a lot for the Cardinal.  If he does raise it, you may wish to underline urgently the fact that it really is time for the Cardinal to be removed from our Legation (American Embassy) in Budapest.  Only the Pope can do it ... and even he will have trouble."  Pope Paul VI is engaged at this early stage in the sorrowful saga of Cardinal Mindszenty?

Cardinal Mindszenty had been a guest at the American Embassy in Budapest, Hungary for some fifteen years when the above talking point was raised.  He was indeed a national hero in that his words in defense of the faith had set Communism back.  The people of Hungary worshipped him.  As long as he remained in Hungary he was a threat to the acceptance of Communism by the 'masses' who had fought the good fight against Communist takeover in 1947.

Here is another link between Pope Paul and Cardinal Mindszenty  (and Cardinal Casaroli, the Communist):

According to the 'Cardinal Mindszenty Documents in American Archives:  nek.oszk.hcl/13800/13850.pdf  p. 66    SUBJECT:  CARDINAL MINDSZENTY: In a conversation with Cardinal Casaroli to the press: "Cardinal Casaroli was unwilling to reveal details about his June 6 meeting with Pope Paul VI (about Cardinal Mindszenty) but "the Pope is not overly optimistic about dislodging Mindszenty but willing to give it a try." (Casaroli)

Pope Paul VI eventually 'dislodged' Cardinal Mindszenty, to a life which prohibited him from EVER returning to his beloved Hungarians.  He had him called to Rome,  embracing him, saying Mass with him ... and assuring the election of Communist Janos Kadar partially through the absence of Mindszenty in the embassy in Budapest.
Was Bl. Pope Paul VI a Communist?

Let us hope and pray that Cardinal Joseph Zen remains free.  He is indeed speaking like Cardinal Mindszenty!