A Vatican delegation began its annual visit to Vietnam on Sunday, February 15. The visit, the 16th in a series of annual trip by Vatican diplomats to Vietnam, came after a difficult year, which saw Catholic activists clash repeatedly with the Communist regime over the ownership of Church properties that had been seized by the government.
Arriving in Hanoi, the visitors from Rome-- led by Msgr. Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Undersecretary of State-- were greeted by Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet, auxiliary Bishop Lawrence Chu Van Minh, and a welcoming crowd made up of thousands of students as well as priests and religious. The Vietnamese hierarchy had alerted their people to Vatican visit, and encouraged Catholics to join in greeting them.
After an enthusiastic welcome ceremony, the delegation met with Archbishop Joseph Ngo.
During the next two days the Vatican officials will meet with government officials, concentrating on the foreign ministry and the committee for religious affairs. The Vietnamese government acknowledged last week that the talks are designed to explore "the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations with the Holy See."
However, Vietnamese Catholics are convinced that the goal of restoring diplomatic ties, although it had been on the Vatican agenda for years, will not be the top priority in this year's exchanges. More likely the talks will focus on rising Church-state tensions.
Since last September, the Vietnamese government has been asking for the removal of Archbishop Joseph Ngo, who has suffered a long period of virtual house arrest and an aggressive public campaign of vilification in the state-controlled media. The government has blasted the archbishop for his strong support of Catholic protests asking for the return of confiscated Church properties.
“The government raised the issue [of the archbishop’s transfer] with the Vietnam Conference of Catholic Bishops, and was frankly rejected by bishops,” said Father Joseph Nguyen from Hanoi. “But it will try again. The Vatican delegation will face enormous difficulties.”
Sharing the same concerns, in a letter to Vietnamese Catholics dated February 13, Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Nhon, chairman of the country's episcopal conference, asked the faithful for “intensive prayers and sacrifices as a sign of solidarity and the love for the Church.”
After talks with government officers in Hanoi, the delegation will have meetings with the Vietnamese Catholic hierarchy. Then the Vatican officials will visit the Thai Binh and Bui Chu dioceses in the north.
The annual visits by Vatican diplomats have brought about a gradual easing of the restrictions on free exercise of religion in Vietnam. But the government continues to restrict the activities of the Church, requiring consultation on the appointment of new bishops and recruits for seminary training. The status of Church-owned properties still being held by the government has provided another source of tension, particularly in the past year. Many properties that once belonged to the Church have been administered by the State on the grounds that they were needed for social purposes. Even when their purposes are no longer met, the buildings are seldom returned to their owners.
Arriving in Hanoi, the visitors from Rome-- led by Msgr. Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Undersecretary of State-- were greeted by Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet, auxiliary Bishop Lawrence Chu Van Minh, and a welcoming crowd made up of thousands of students as well as priests and religious. The Vietnamese hierarchy had alerted their people to Vatican visit, and encouraged Catholics to join in greeting them.
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| Welcome ceremony at Hanoi Archbishoporic |
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| Archbishop Joseph Ngo and Msgr. Francis Cao Minh Dung |
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| Msgr. Pietro Parolin and Msgr. Barnabe Nguyen Van Phuong |
During the next two days the Vatican officials will meet with government officials, concentrating on the foreign ministry and the committee for religious affairs. The Vietnamese government acknowledged last week that the talks are designed to explore "the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations with the Holy See."
However, Vietnamese Catholics are convinced that the goal of restoring diplomatic ties, although it had been on the Vatican agenda for years, will not be the top priority in this year's exchanges. More likely the talks will focus on rising Church-state tensions.
Since last September, the Vietnamese government has been asking for the removal of Archbishop Joseph Ngo, who has suffered a long period of virtual house arrest and an aggressive public campaign of vilification in the state-controlled media. The government has blasted the archbishop for his strong support of Catholic protests asking for the return of confiscated Church properties.
“The government raised the issue [of the archbishop’s transfer] with the Vietnam Conference of Catholic Bishops, and was frankly rejected by bishops,” said Father Joseph Nguyen from Hanoi. “But it will try again. The Vatican delegation will face enormous difficulties.”
Sharing the same concerns, in a letter to Vietnamese Catholics dated February 13, Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Nhon, chairman of the country's episcopal conference, asked the faithful for “intensive prayers and sacrifices as a sign of solidarity and the love for the Church.”
After talks with government officers in Hanoi, the delegation will have meetings with the Vietnamese Catholic hierarchy. Then the Vatican officials will visit the Thai Binh and Bui Chu dioceses in the north.
The annual visits by Vatican diplomats have brought about a gradual easing of the restrictions on free exercise of religion in Vietnam. But the government continues to restrict the activities of the Church, requiring consultation on the appointment of new bishops and recruits for seminary training. The status of Church-owned properties still being held by the government has provided another source of tension, particularly in the past year. Many properties that once belonged to the Church have been administered by the State on the grounds that they were needed for social purposes. Even when their purposes are no longer met, the buildings are seldom returned to their owners.