Hanoi, Feb. 12, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Catholics in a district in central highlands of Vietnam, were barred from celebrating Mass on the first day of the Lunar New Year, commonly known as Tet, after a local government official threatened legal action against anyone who participated in the Eucharistic liturgy.
Bui Ngoc Son, the chairman of the People’s Committee of the Ia Grai distict, announced that because Tet is not a Catholic holy day, parishioners would need to have government approval for any public celebration. He ordered police to arrest any Catholics organizing religious ceremonies for the day.
In their petitions, Ia Grai Catholics stated that for Vietnamese Catholics, it is a tradition of devotion to dedicate the first days of the new year to Christ and the Virgin Mary through public gatherings where the congregation can attend the Eucharist or other worship services, receive sacraments, exchange new year greetings, and receive blessings from their priests. The incident highlights the restraints on religious freedom under the Communist government. The Church's normal activities-- involving travel, holding meetings, developing new pastoral initiatives, and public liturgical celebrations-- are all subject to approval by civil authorities. Under the “State law and Ordinance on Religion and Belief,” every year Catholic pastors are required to submit to local authorities the list of Masses that they are going to celebrate during the coming year. Some of the planned celebrations may not be approved. In these cases, the priest violates the law if he risks celebrating Mass, even with a small congregation.
With its introduction of an open economic market and its gradual opening to the West, especially to the United States, Vietnam has taken some steps forward in allowing freedom of worship. The situation facing local Catholics has also been improved by the persistent diplomatic efforts of the Holy See, which have included annual visits to Vietnam by a delegation from Rome. Still restrictions on religious freedom remain noteworthy, particularly among ethnic minorities such as the Montagnards of the central highlands and the Thai, Hmong, and Muong in the northern mountains.
Bui Ngoc Son, the chairman of the People’s Committee of the Ia Grai distict, announced that because Tet is not a Catholic holy day, parishioners would need to have government approval for any public celebration. He ordered police to arrest any Catholics organizing religious ceremonies for the day.
In their petitions, Ia Grai Catholics stated that for Vietnamese Catholics, it is a tradition of devotion to dedicate the first days of the new year to Christ and the Virgin Mary through public gatherings where the congregation can attend the Eucharist or other worship services, receive sacraments, exchange new year greetings, and receive blessings from their priests. The incident highlights the restraints on religious freedom under the Communist government. The Church's normal activities-- involving travel, holding meetings, developing new pastoral initiatives, and public liturgical celebrations-- are all subject to approval by civil authorities. Under the “State law and Ordinance on Religion and Belief,” every year Catholic pastors are required to submit to local authorities the list of Masses that they are going to celebrate during the coming year. Some of the planned celebrations may not be approved. In these cases, the priest violates the law if he risks celebrating Mass, even with a small congregation.
With its introduction of an open economic market and its gradual opening to the West, especially to the United States, Vietnam has taken some steps forward in allowing freedom of worship. The situation facing local Catholics has also been improved by the persistent diplomatic efforts of the Holy See, which have included annual visits to Vietnam by a delegation from Rome. Still restrictions on religious freedom remain noteworthy, particularly among ethnic minorities such as the Montagnards of the central highlands and the Thai, Hmong, and Muong in the northern mountains.