Masses celebrated by Vatican diplomats have drawn massive crowds at Hanoi as Catholics find the Holy See visit a morale booster shot they desperately need.
Although the news of the Vatican delegation's arrival in Hanoi didn't make headlines on state-run media thousands of faithful have made their way to Hanoi Cathedral and the convent of the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres upon the words of mouth just to be able to see and welcome the delegates in person. VietCatholic News local reporter has reported the gatherings "as crowded and excited as in a festival celebration."
The faithful have proudly brought along with them the unique and adorable cultural features to the concelebrating Masses as a way to show the Vatican diplomats how much they appreciate their presence in Vietnam. The Masses though religious events have been filled with cultural artistic performances in a very unique way that seems to amaze both the guests and the locals who don't usually get to enjoy such a festive celebration.
Many have turned out to greet the bishops and the delegates in person. They have presented them flowers; some even put their own children out hoping to get the delegates’ blessing. Others have come to see the delegates in private just to be able to thank them for coming and to hear them offering words of comfort and encouragement.
Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet of Hanoi, who had been consigned to virtual house arrest in the wake of Church-state clashes in Hanoi, was also one of the most sought out celebrities during the celebration on Sunday Feb 15. Many stopped him and told him that he had always been in their thoughts and prayers ever since the state media's whirlwind had tried to inflict so much harm on his image and reputation to no avail. They brought signs which read:"We love our archbishop" "We will stand by you wherever you are" and "May God protects and keeps our archbishop in safety".
To these supporters archbishop Kiet thanked them, but he politely asked them to put away those signs, for fear that they might be putting the Vatican diplomats between a rock and a hard place when dealing with the government in the coming days.
After much experience in the past, the faithful from Hanoi and the neighboring dioceses had learned to trust their worthy sources when it comes to news on the Holy See and state of Vietnam's talks: their Church leaders and words of mouth rather than from the state media outlets. They brushed aside the report on state's News about "the Vatican's desire to establish diplomatic relationship with Vietnam which was brought up by Pope Benedict XVI when Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's stop at the Vatican while visiting the Republic of Italy in Jan 2007". Some even mocked at the idea of Vietnam's daring effort to establish diplomatic relation with the Holy See one step ahead of the giant mentor and sponsor China and called PM Dung's move as "brave".
No matter how the Vietnamese Catholics have expressed how they feel in words and actions to the Vatican delegation, none of them can hide a burning desire that has been brewing in their hearts for decades: that the Church of Vietnam can take care of its matter by itself without the government gross interference, so that the faithful religious life can be served better with more new appointments of priests and bishops. And that their religious leaders are not going to live in fear or being manipulated by government cadres who have very little or no knowledge of Catholicism but would like to see both the clergy and the faithful how to worship God the way they have laid out via the puppet organization called "The Committee For Solidarity of Catholics"
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| Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres whose convent in Vinh Long was bulldozed last year |
The faithful have proudly brought along with them the unique and adorable cultural features to the concelebrating Masses as a way to show the Vatican diplomats how much they appreciate their presence in Vietnam. The Masses though religious events have been filled with cultural artistic performances in a very unique way that seems to amaze both the guests and the locals who don't usually get to enjoy such a festive celebration.
Many have turned out to greet the bishops and the delegates in person. They have presented them flowers; some even put their own children out hoping to get the delegates’ blessing. Others have come to see the delegates in private just to be able to thank them for coming and to hear them offering words of comfort and encouragement.
Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet of Hanoi, who had been consigned to virtual house arrest in the wake of Church-state clashes in Hanoi, was also one of the most sought out celebrities during the celebration on Sunday Feb 15. Many stopped him and told him that he had always been in their thoughts and prayers ever since the state media's whirlwind had tried to inflict so much harm on his image and reputation to no avail. They brought signs which read:"We love our archbishop" "We will stand by you wherever you are" and "May God protects and keeps our archbishop in safety".
To these supporters archbishop Kiet thanked them, but he politely asked them to put away those signs, for fear that they might be putting the Vatican diplomats between a rock and a hard place when dealing with the government in the coming days.
After much experience in the past, the faithful from Hanoi and the neighboring dioceses had learned to trust their worthy sources when it comes to news on the Holy See and state of Vietnam's talks: their Church leaders and words of mouth rather than from the state media outlets. They brushed aside the report on state's News about "the Vatican's desire to establish diplomatic relationship with Vietnam which was brought up by Pope Benedict XVI when Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's stop at the Vatican while visiting the Republic of Italy in Jan 2007". Some even mocked at the idea of Vietnam's daring effort to establish diplomatic relation with the Holy See one step ahead of the giant mentor and sponsor China and called PM Dung's move as "brave".
No matter how the Vietnamese Catholics have expressed how they feel in words and actions to the Vatican delegation, none of them can hide a burning desire that has been brewing in their hearts for decades: that the Church of Vietnam can take care of its matter by itself without the government gross interference, so that the faithful religious life can be served better with more new appointments of priests and bishops. And that their religious leaders are not going to live in fear or being manipulated by government cadres who have very little or no knowledge of Catholicism but would like to see both the clergy and the faithful how to worship God the way they have laid out via the puppet organization called "The Committee For Solidarity of Catholics"