Australia's Redemptorist community have written to their Vietnamese counterparts expressing concern over the failure by local authorities to observe fundamental legal rights and due process in the ongoing property dispute at Hanoi's Thai Ha parish.
"We in Australia have been very concerned to hear about the difficulties you have experienced with some sections of your government refusing to return property belonging to the Redemptorists in Thai Ha," Australian Redemptorist Fr Bruce Duncan CSsR writes.
"This dispute has been widely publicised in Australia, and people here are very disturbed that some officials in Vietnam appear to be failing to observe fundamental legal rights and due process.
"This has come as a great surprise to us, as we had believed Vietnam had made great advances in promoting its people's prosperity and welfare, and ensuring social justice with greater freedom.
"We know too that the Catholic Church energetically promotes the wellbeing of the Vietnamese people, especially through its health care and education, and working to ensure social harmony and a prosperous economy for all.
"Our Church values honesty, hard work, fidelity in relationships, care for the young, the elderly and the sick, along with justice for all and freedom in society. These are precisely the values that will continue to make Vietnam a strong and secure society.
"Not only is this dispute harming the reputation of Vietnam in our country, which has developed such strong ties with the people of Vietnam in recent years, but the conflict must be damaging and dividing your society instead of promoting cooperation and a commitment to further developing your culture and society.
"We pray earnestly that people of good sense will soon bring this trouble to an end," Fr Duncan wrote.
Meanwhile, French Bishop Jean-Marie-Henri Legrez, took part in a prayer vigil at the Thai Hai parish on Sunday, AsiaNews reports.
Under the command of Hanoi police chief hundreds of police officers were deployed in the area; some filmed the faithful. Security forces became nervous when a procession to the former nunciature suddenly came into being.
Bishop Legrez's presence helped reassure many protestors who had been taken aback by the heavy police operation with hundreds of officers in and around Thai Ha, AsiaNews says.
"I don't think they [police] dare to attack us in front of a foreigner, especially a bishop," a student told AsiaNews. "I feel safe and [can] concentrate better on my prayers," she added.
"We in Australia have been very concerned to hear about the difficulties you have experienced with some sections of your government refusing to return property belonging to the Redemptorists in Thai Ha," Australian Redemptorist Fr Bruce Duncan CSsR writes.
"This dispute has been widely publicised in Australia, and people here are very disturbed that some officials in Vietnam appear to be failing to observe fundamental legal rights and due process.
"This has come as a great surprise to us, as we had believed Vietnam had made great advances in promoting its people's prosperity and welfare, and ensuring social justice with greater freedom.
"We know too that the Catholic Church energetically promotes the wellbeing of the Vietnamese people, especially through its health care and education, and working to ensure social harmony and a prosperous economy for all.
"Our Church values honesty, hard work, fidelity in relationships, care for the young, the elderly and the sick, along with justice for all and freedom in society. These are precisely the values that will continue to make Vietnam a strong and secure society.
"Not only is this dispute harming the reputation of Vietnam in our country, which has developed such strong ties with the people of Vietnam in recent years, but the conflict must be damaging and dividing your society instead of promoting cooperation and a commitment to further developing your culture and society.
"We pray earnestly that people of good sense will soon bring this trouble to an end," Fr Duncan wrote.
Meanwhile, French Bishop Jean-Marie-Henri Legrez, took part in a prayer vigil at the Thai Hai parish on Sunday, AsiaNews reports.
Under the command of Hanoi police chief hundreds of police officers were deployed in the area; some filmed the faithful. Security forces became nervous when a procession to the former nunciature suddenly came into being.
Bishop Legrez's presence helped reassure many protestors who had been taken aback by the heavy police operation with hundreds of officers in and around Thai Ha, AsiaNews says.
"I don't think they [police] dare to attack us in front of a foreigner, especially a bishop," a student told AsiaNews. "I feel safe and [can] concentrate better on my prayers," she added.