Vietnam’s President Vo Van Thuong met with the country’s Catholic bishops to thank the church for its role during the Covid-19 pandemic, share on his recent visit to the Vatican and strengthen ties between the government and the church. The meeting at the headquarters of the bishops’ conference in the national capital Ho Chi Minh City on Monday is seen as an important step.
Hostility existed between the Church and the communist state since 1975. Relations improved since the 1990s and in 2011, Pope Benedict XI appointed the first non-resident papal representative based in Singapore.
Văn Thưởng was accompanied by a delegation of ten government officials while the church team was composed of nine bishops, five priests and two nuns.
It came after the president met with Pope Francis in the Vatican and signed a landmark agreement on July 27 that would allow a resident papal representative and open an office there for the first time since the end of the Vietnam War.
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At 11 a.m. on August 7, 2023 at the Office of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference (VNCCB) No. 72/12 Tran Quoc Toan, Ward 8, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, State President Vo Van Thuong paid a visit to the Archbishop. (Archbishop) Joseph Nguyen Nang - President of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference - and the Bishops of the Standing Committee and the Bishops of the Saigon Province, after his visit to the Vatican on July 27, 2023, to inform the results of the work. upgrading the relationship between the State of Vietnam and the Vatican.
Archbishop Nguyen Nang - President of the Vietnamese Bishops' Conference welcomes President Vo Van Thuong
The delegation accompanying the President includes:
– Mr. Nguyen Van Nen - Politburo member - Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee
– Mr. Phan Van Mai - Member of the Party Central Committee - Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City
– Mr. Trieu Tai Vinh – Deputy Head of the Central Committee for Mass Mobilization
– Mr. Hoang Cong Thuy – Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front
– Ms. Phan Thi Kim Oanh – Vice Chairman of the Office of the President
– Mr. Vu Chien Thang – Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
– Mr. Truong Tuan Anh – Assistant to the President
– Mr. Vu Hoai Bac – Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs
– Ms. Tran Kim Yen - Member of Standing Committee of City Party Committee - Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Fatherland Front Committee.
On the side of the Office of the Vietnamese Bishops' Conference, there are:
– Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang – Archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City – President of the VNCCB
– Archbishop Joseph Vu Van Thien – Archbishop of Hanoi – Vice President of the VNCCB
– Bishop Joseph Do Manh Hung – Bishop of Phan Thiet Diocese – General Secretary of the VNCCB
– Bishop Stephen Tri Buu Thien – Bishop of Can Tho diocese
– Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Kham – Bishop of My Tho diocese
– Bishop Joseph Tran Van Toan – Bishop of Long Xuyen diocese
– Bishop Emmanuel Nguyen Hong Son – Bishop of Ba Ria diocese
– Bishop Dominic Nguyen Van Manh – Bishop of Da Lat diocese
– Bishop Peter Tran Dinh Tu – Former Bishop of Phu Cuong Diocese
– Father Joseph Dao Nguyen Vu – Chief of Office of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference
– Father Paul Nguyen Quoc Hung – Secretary of the Church of Saigon Province
– Father Dominic Ngo Quang Tuyen – Secretary of the Committee for Evangelization of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference
– Father Joseph Tran Hoa Hung – Secretary of the Religious Committee of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference
– Father Thomas Aquino Nguyen Truong Tam – Provincial Superior of the Dominican Order, President of the Union of Major Superiors
– Sister Maria Ly Thi Bich Quyen – Provincial Superior of the Congregation of Our Lady of the Missions, Vice President of 1 Union of Major Superiors
– Sister Teresa Tran Thi Cam Linh – Secretary of the Office of the General Secretary of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference.
After the introduction, Fr. Joseph Dao Nguyen Vu - Chief of Office of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference - informed about the activities of the Catholic Church and the Vietnam Bishops' Conference in recent times, especially during the Covid pandemic.
Next, the President expressed his joy when, together with the Central Authorities and the City Leaders, sent to Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang and the bishops, priests, religious and fellow Catholics. The Church of the whole country wishes you good health, peace and holiness.
The President noticed that, during and after the pandemic, the contributions of fellow Catholics were very positive.
He said that he is very fortunate to go to each facility, through many levels and regions with priests, religious and fellow Catholics, participate in social activities, health care, care for people. the poor, the weak, for the orphans, for the disadvantaged in remote areas, even at the most perilous time.
Those deeds have brightened the spirit of solidarity and service of Catholics, brought everyone sympathy and love, served the faith, served God… Religious values in life The life of Catholic compatriots has been associated with the good values of the Nation.
The President shared:
“I told the Pope and the Prime Minister of the Vatican that: In Vietnam, the Christmas holiday of Catholics is not only reserved for fellow Catholics but also becomes a day of common cultural activities and meetings. face, hang out together… that shows a very good bond.
I express my respect and appreciation for the efforts of Catholic compatriots under the guidance of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference and the Archbishop President of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference.
He also emphasized Vietnam's policy in implementing the line and ensuring the freedom of belief of citizens, affirming that the Party and State consistently implement to ensure the freedom of religion of the compatriots.
Next, the President talked about his visit to the Vatican, meeting with Pope Francis "very emotional and very special".
The President also met the Prime Minister – Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The two sides understood each other and made concrete progress through the Regulation on Resident Representative Office in Vietnam. This is a very important step towards a good future.
Finally, the President expressed his liking for Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang's slogan "Communion and Service" and thought that the Archbishop well implemented this slogan would contribute to building the great unity of the whole nation. He wished Archbishop Joseph and the members of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference with good health and fulfilled the mission that God had entrusted to him.
In response, Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang expressed his joy that for the first time, the Vietnam Bishops' Conference received a high-level state delegation to the Office of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference, and listened to the President share about his trip to European countries and the Supreme Court. St.
The Archbishop, President of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference, expressed his joy because:
– Between Vietnam and the Vatican has achieved a new development in diplomatic relations: there is a Resident Representative in Vietnam. This is a long process, from 1989 with the first visit of Cardinal Etchegaray, then back and forth visits by high-ranking leaders of Vietnam and the Vatican. By 2011, achieved non-permanent status, and now in 2023, achieved permanent resident status.
– The State of Vietnam has also made great strides when its diplomatic relations are expanded to the world.
– There is a change in views on religion: first, religion is considered an opium, then accepts the existence of religion, and now considers religion as a part of the people. That is the great policy of the State being implemented and promoted.
Finally, the archbishop expressed the desire of the Vietnamese Catholic Church to continue on the path of dialogue and communion. This is the way the Gospel has taken over the past two thousand years.
He also raised concerns when the number of Catholics increases, needs places of worship and religious activities, because when there are registered and stable religious establishments, everything will be more favorable and better.
The next aspiration is to be more widely involved in medical and educational activities. The Kindergarten system of Catholics, of nuns, has contributed much to society. The Catholic Church hopes to engage in higher education activity.
With the policy of the State of Vietnam, with sympathy and understanding, and with a well-adapted mechanism every day, Catholic compatriots will surely promote their full potential.
At the end of the visit, the President presented the Archbishop, President of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference, a traditional Chu Dau ceramic vase, with the image of the Presidential Palace on the front and the image of Notre Dame Cathedral on the back.
The Archbishop, President of the Vietnam Conference of Catholic Bishops, presented the President with a picture of Pope Francis shaking hands with the President's wife and the book Fratelli Tutti Encyclical on fraternity and social friendship.
The visit of the State President ended at 12:25 in joy and cordiality.
Post: Mother Teresa Duyen Sa – Photo: Pham Bao
Source: Vietnam Bishops Conference (August 7, 2023)
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