Hanoi, Feb. 7, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Just days after the Vietnamese government agreed to restore the office of the apostolic nuncio, Catholics in Hanoi have organized new demonstrations calling for the restoration of another church property.

Hundreds of Catholics joined in a public protest on Ash Wednesday-- which coincided with the eve of Tet, the lunar new year celebration-- to ask for the return of property belonging to a Redemptorist parish in Hanoi.

Prior to the Communist takeover in Vietnam, the parish of Our Mother of Perpetual Help had purchased about 15 acres of property, on which the Redemptorist order planned to build a school and convent. In 1954 the new government ousted the order and seized most of the property, leaving less than an acre to the parish.

After years of petitions to government officials, parishioners began public protests on the parish grounds in January of this year. As the Tet celebration approached, a large group of parishioners pledged to camp out on the disputed grounds to draw attention to their cause.