UPDATE ON THE PLIGHT OF CATHOLICS IN VIETNAM
ROME -- I have become acutely aware of the plight of Catholics in Vietnam ever since my radio interview with Fr. Cuong, though I did not at the time include this in our conversation. ( Click here to hear Vatican Insider) It was a situation that was developing fairly recently, but one that seems to have precipitated in recent days.
To give you some background and the latest news, I’ll quote from an AsiaNews story of January 30 from someone on the ground in Hanoi.
“Hanoi’s Catholics continue their sit-in in the gardens of the ex-nunciature, despite the government ultimatum to free the area by 5 pm Sunday last. State newspapers launch a new wave of insults directed at the bishop and faithful. Some Catholics believe this slander campaign is preparing the ground for a show of force. Since December 23 the former residence of the Vatican nunciature in the capital has been the focus of gatherings for thousands of Catholics who demand the building sequestered by the government in ’59 and set to become a restaurant and night club be returned. The local government has already threatened ‘extreme action’ if the group of faithful persists in holding prayer vigils in front of the building and in the garden and if they do not desist in ‘undermining public order’.
“Fr. Joseph Nguyen tells AsiaNews: ‘At the moment there are hundreds of religious together with many lay faithful gathered in the garden of the ex nunciature in prayer. But there are also a great many police in uniform and in plain clothes. These mix among the people taking photos and making films with video cameras. I fear an attack at any moment.’ The Archbishop, Msgr. Joseph Ngô Quang Kiệt, has told us that praying is a basic human right protected by the law and that he is ready to even go to jail for his flock, if the government makes a show of force”.
“Meanwhile a fresh press campaign accuses the Catholic faithful of ‘naivete’ and in trusting too much in their leader. Papers also accuse them of aiming to “illegally take possession of the building’.”
One source of news is the Viet Catholic News which comes in both Vietnamese and English and carries articles by local Catholics, including priests. One priest, Joseph Phuong Nguyen, C.Ss.R, wrote three days ago about the case of a woman who was beaten to death by officers after attempting to put flowers on a statue of Mary in the former nunciature compound ( which was admittedly off limits to civilians): “Seeing all this brutality, in order to rescue Mr. Quân and the woman, the protesters had no other choice than breaking through the gate to confront the security officers. Local authorities of Hanoi have accused Hanoi Catholics of attacking the security force first. It is simply a blatant lie.”
What at first seemed like a standoff between the Catholics and government officials seems indeed on the verge of escalating into a full-fledged attack on civilians – not just one woman, but crowds.
One real dilemma regards, in a way, the role of the Catholic press, in particular the media that is considered “authoritative,” such as the Vatican newspaper and radio. Will telling the true story help people or simply inflame the situation? Does one have to be careful not to tread on diplomatic toes? The “L’Osservatore Romano” paper has featured the plight of the Vietnamese Catholics and there is a story today, though not on page one.
Fr. Cuong keeps me posted on these sorrowful events in his native country which is about to celebrate the lunar New Year. He wrote a few days ago that “these days of the approaching Lunar Tet Festival in Vietnam brings me an inexpressible joy and nostalgia. Smells of firecrackers, traditional food such as the crispy spring-rolls dipped in the ubiquitous distilled fish-sauce as well as the sticky-rice cake served with pickled carrots and cauliflowers are remembered as most telling about one's memories, together with images of children dressed in new clothes going to wish their elderly a happy new year, and in return, receive a red envelope with money for blessing and luck... I used to enjoy all of those activities.”
Father Cuong’s only request now is of prayers for his country and people, prayers in particular that there will not be a crackdown on freedom of religion. And that is a request I am happy to pass on.
Thanks for staying with me on this day of lots of news and interesting stories.
God sit on your shoulder!
(EWTNews)
ROME -- I have become acutely aware of the plight of Catholics in Vietnam ever since my radio interview with Fr. Cuong, though I did not at the time include this in our conversation. ( Click here to hear Vatican Insider) It was a situation that was developing fairly recently, but one that seems to have precipitated in recent days.
To give you some background and the latest news, I’ll quote from an AsiaNews story of January 30 from someone on the ground in Hanoi.
“Hanoi’s Catholics continue their sit-in in the gardens of the ex-nunciature, despite the government ultimatum to free the area by 5 pm Sunday last. State newspapers launch a new wave of insults directed at the bishop and faithful. Some Catholics believe this slander campaign is preparing the ground for a show of force. Since December 23 the former residence of the Vatican nunciature in the capital has been the focus of gatherings for thousands of Catholics who demand the building sequestered by the government in ’59 and set to become a restaurant and night club be returned. The local government has already threatened ‘extreme action’ if the group of faithful persists in holding prayer vigils in front of the building and in the garden and if they do not desist in ‘undermining public order’.
“Fr. Joseph Nguyen tells AsiaNews: ‘At the moment there are hundreds of religious together with many lay faithful gathered in the garden of the ex nunciature in prayer. But there are also a great many police in uniform and in plain clothes. These mix among the people taking photos and making films with video cameras. I fear an attack at any moment.’ The Archbishop, Msgr. Joseph Ngô Quang Kiệt, has told us that praying is a basic human right protected by the law and that he is ready to even go to jail for his flock, if the government makes a show of force”.
“Meanwhile a fresh press campaign accuses the Catholic faithful of ‘naivete’ and in trusting too much in their leader. Papers also accuse them of aiming to “illegally take possession of the building’.”
One source of news is the Viet Catholic News which comes in both Vietnamese and English and carries articles by local Catholics, including priests. One priest, Joseph Phuong Nguyen, C.Ss.R, wrote three days ago about the case of a woman who was beaten to death by officers after attempting to put flowers on a statue of Mary in the former nunciature compound ( which was admittedly off limits to civilians): “Seeing all this brutality, in order to rescue Mr. Quân and the woman, the protesters had no other choice than breaking through the gate to confront the security officers. Local authorities of Hanoi have accused Hanoi Catholics of attacking the security force first. It is simply a blatant lie.”
What at first seemed like a standoff between the Catholics and government officials seems indeed on the verge of escalating into a full-fledged attack on civilians – not just one woman, but crowds.
One real dilemma regards, in a way, the role of the Catholic press, in particular the media that is considered “authoritative,” such as the Vatican newspaper and radio. Will telling the true story help people or simply inflame the situation? Does one have to be careful not to tread on diplomatic toes? The “L’Osservatore Romano” paper has featured the plight of the Vietnamese Catholics and there is a story today, though not on page one.
Fr. Cuong keeps me posted on these sorrowful events in his native country which is about to celebrate the lunar New Year. He wrote a few days ago that “these days of the approaching Lunar Tet Festival in Vietnam brings me an inexpressible joy and nostalgia. Smells of firecrackers, traditional food such as the crispy spring-rolls dipped in the ubiquitous distilled fish-sauce as well as the sticky-rice cake served with pickled carrots and cauliflowers are remembered as most telling about one's memories, together with images of children dressed in new clothes going to wish their elderly a happy new year, and in return, receive a red envelope with money for blessing and luck... I used to enjoy all of those activities.”
Father Cuong’s only request now is of prayers for his country and people, prayers in particular that there will not be a crackdown on freedom of religion. And that is a request I am happy to pass on.
Thanks for staying with me on this day of lots of news and interesting stories.
God sit on your shoulder!
(EWTNews)