Pope Leo XIV received Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, SDB, Hong Kong’s bishop from 2002 to 2009, in a private audience on January 7.
Noted for his advocacy for religious liberty and other human rights, Cardinal Zen, now 93, was convicted in 2022 (and fined $500) for failing to register a charity. He is appealing the conviction, and a verdict is expected this year.
As is customary, the Vatican did not release a statement on what was discussed during the audience.