Hanoi Catholics face uphill battles to regain the former nunciature when state-approved Buddhist Church claims the ownership of the land.
In a letter sent to Vietnam Prime Minister, dated February 16, but only published a few days ago, Venerable Thích Trung Hậu, a leader of the Vietnam Buddhist Church setup by the communist government in 1982, stated that all the settlements regarding the former nunciature must be approved by his Church as the Buddhists are the authentic owner of the land.
The incident occurred right after Lê Quang Vịnh, former Chief of Vietnam Religious Affairs Committee suggested that the Buddhist Church is the true owner of all the area including Hanoi archbishopric house, the former nunciature, the St. Joseph Cathedral and the St. Joseph Major Seminary. He stated that the French colonists seized the land and transferred it to Catholic Church.
Venerable Hậu claimed that on the land in dispute, there was a pagoda named Báo Thiên built in 1054. In 1883, “The French colonists seized and gave it to Bishop Puginier”, he stated.
The last episode is seen by Hanoi Catholics as a plot from the government to hollow their promise with Archbishop Joseph Ngô Quang Kiệt on February 1.
In a public statement on February 1, Archbishop Joseph Ngô confirmed reports that the government had agreed to restore the nuncio's offices, after more than a month of public protests by Catholics which drew significant international attention to the situation. In return for the government's promise, the Catholic protestors agreed to remove a cross and tents from the land adjacent to the building where they had been conducting regular prayer vigils.
Public workers have repainted the fence surrounding the building that once housed the nunciature, before it was seized by the Communist government in 1959. The gates have been strengthened, and new panels have been set in place, carrying Communist symbols and slogans, underlining the point that the building is state-owned. Meanwhile, security officers have been quick to respond to anyone who pauses to pray outside the building, and candles have been removed from the fence.
Some days ago, Catholics voice their concerns that the latest moves by government officials suggest that a quick transfer is out of the question. Now, they begin to fear that they may probably never be able to get the nunciature back.
Fr. Joseph Nguyễn from Hanoi reported that “Hanoi Catholics are now facing uphill battles to regain the former nunciature”. However, he was still full of hope: “Except the strong support from the government, Venerable Hậu has nothing to prove what he said. On the contrary, we do have all legal land titles”.
In a letter sent to Vietnam Prime Minister, dated February 16, but only published a few days ago, Venerable Thích Trung Hậu, a leader of the Vietnam Buddhist Church setup by the communist government in 1982, stated that all the settlements regarding the former nunciature must be approved by his Church as the Buddhists are the authentic owner of the land.
The incident occurred right after Lê Quang Vịnh, former Chief of Vietnam Religious Affairs Committee suggested that the Buddhist Church is the true owner of all the area including Hanoi archbishopric house, the former nunciature, the St. Joseph Cathedral and the St. Joseph Major Seminary. He stated that the French colonists seized the land and transferred it to Catholic Church.Venerable Hậu claimed that on the land in dispute, there was a pagoda named Báo Thiên built in 1054. In 1883, “The French colonists seized and gave it to Bishop Puginier”, he stated.
The last episode is seen by Hanoi Catholics as a plot from the government to hollow their promise with Archbishop Joseph Ngô Quang Kiệt on February 1.
In a public statement on February 1, Archbishop Joseph Ngô confirmed reports that the government had agreed to restore the nuncio's offices, after more than a month of public protests by Catholics which drew significant international attention to the situation. In return for the government's promise, the Catholic protestors agreed to remove a cross and tents from the land adjacent to the building where they had been conducting regular prayer vigils.
Public workers have repainted the fence surrounding the building that once housed the nunciature, before it was seized by the Communist government in 1959. The gates have been strengthened, and new panels have been set in place, carrying Communist symbols and slogans, underlining the point that the building is state-owned. Meanwhile, security officers have been quick to respond to anyone who pauses to pray outside the building, and candles have been removed from the fence.
Some days ago, Catholics voice their concerns that the latest moves by government officials suggest that a quick transfer is out of the question. Now, they begin to fear that they may probably never be able to get the nunciature back.
Fr. Joseph Nguyễn from Hanoi reported that “Hanoi Catholics are now facing uphill battles to regain the former nunciature”. However, he was still full of hope: “Except the strong support from the government, Venerable Hậu has nothing to prove what he said. On the contrary, we do have all legal land titles”.