Tensions between Catholics and Vietnamese government have boiled over again after Catholics in a central province of Vietnam were beaten brutally by police. Among them hundreds were wounded and dozens were arrested.
At around 9 am Monday morning July 20, 2009, hundreds of Catholics in the diocese of Vinh were attacked cruelly by police as they were erecting a cross and setting up an altar on the ground of the church collapsed during the Vietnam War.
"The police, who far out-numbering parishioners of Tam Toa and neighboring parishes, had fired teargas canisters at the crowd before kicking and beating them brutally with stun guns, and batons. Numerous of priests and lay people were wounded," reported Fr. Le Thanh Hong, pastor of Tam Toa parish, where the incident occurred.
"A few were forced to sit on the ground, where they were repeatedly assaulted by a group of gang youth employed by police, while dozens were thrown into police trucks," Fr. Le continued. "At the moment their whereabouts remain unknown," he added.
On Feb 2, 2009, despite threats from the government, Bishop Paul Maria Cao Dinh Thuyen and 14 priests of the diocese of Vinh (334 km South of Hanoi), concelebrated Mass at the church of Tam Toa which has been seized by the government since 1997. Thousands of Catholics attended the Mass to support the brave decision of the diocese to reclaim the church, one of many properties seized at the liberty of the Communist government since they came to power.
The church of Tam Toa, built in Portuguese architecture with a typical large bell, inaugurated in 1887, was known to be one of the most beautiful churches in Vietnam. Unfortunately in 1968, it became the casualty of US Air Force's bombing in which most of its parts were destroyed except the entrance and the bell tower which still stands firm today.
Long after the U.S. bombardment ended, parishioners in this congregation were so impoverished that they could not rebuild their church. However, mass had still been celebrated on the ground of the bombed church on a regular basis until March 1996 when the People's Committee of Quang Binh province confiscated the church stating that it was chosen a "site of War Memorial" and "must be preserved and protected for future generations to remember American War Crimes."
The archdiocese of Hue immediately protested the decree but in no vain. In May 2006, the parish was transferred to Vinh diocese. Bishop Paul Maria Cao has since then repeatedly asked for the requisition of the church. All of his petitions have gone into deaf ears.
Recently, tensions between the Church and the government have boiled over after rumors on plans to convert the church into a tourist resort.
For Vietnamese Catholics, Tam Toa Church is a historic landmark. One can trace its origins back to 1631 in early years of the Catholic Church in Vietnam. The parish had grown up quickly during the 17th century and become the largest parish in the region called Sao Bun with up to 1200 members. There had once been an orphanage and a school being operated by the Sisters of Cross Lovers.
In 1886, a group of cultured men, who were highly anti-Westerners, calling themselves "Van Than", attacked the parish of Tam Toa killing 52 parishioners for what it considered retaliation against the French presence in Vietnam. Many Christians, who survived the massacre by fleeing to take shelter in Dong Hoi, erected Tam Toa church was a year later to fulfill the spiritual needs for a growing number of faithful.
Tam Toa today is home parish to more than a thousand parishioners, many of whom are eager to renovate their church and to involve more people with religious activities as the way to foster their faith. But this effort has been stalled indefinitely by the government's interference with the usage of Tam Toa church. Their shepherd, Bishop Paul Maria Cao Dinh Thuyen understood that and he had come to show them his support. The final decision is in God's hand, for now the only thing they can start with is prayers with the hope that people from all over Vietnam and the international community will hear their plea for help and join in to save their lives and their church from being destroyed by the seemingly unyielding current government.
At around 9 am Monday morning July 20, 2009, hundreds of Catholics in the diocese of Vinh were attacked cruelly by police as they were erecting a cross and setting up an altar on the ground of the church collapsed during the Vietnam War.
"The police, who far out-numbering parishioners of Tam Toa and neighboring parishes, had fired teargas canisters at the crowd before kicking and beating them brutally with stun guns, and batons. Numerous of priests and lay people were wounded," reported Fr. Le Thanh Hong, pastor of Tam Toa parish, where the incident occurred.
"A few were forced to sit on the ground, where they were repeatedly assaulted by a group of gang youth employed by police, while dozens were thrown into police trucks," Fr. Le continued. "At the moment their whereabouts remain unknown," he added.
On Feb 2, 2009, despite threats from the government, Bishop Paul Maria Cao Dinh Thuyen and 14 priests of the diocese of Vinh (334 km South of Hanoi), concelebrated Mass at the church of Tam Toa which has been seized by the government since 1997. Thousands of Catholics attended the Mass to support the brave decision of the diocese to reclaim the church, one of many properties seized at the liberty of the Communist government since they came to power.
The church of Tam Toa, built in Portuguese architecture with a typical large bell, inaugurated in 1887, was known to be one of the most beautiful churches in Vietnam. Unfortunately in 1968, it became the casualty of US Air Force's bombing in which most of its parts were destroyed except the entrance and the bell tower which still stands firm today.
Long after the U.S. bombardment ended, parishioners in this congregation were so impoverished that they could not rebuild their church. However, mass had still been celebrated on the ground of the bombed church on a regular basis until March 1996 when the People's Committee of Quang Binh province confiscated the church stating that it was chosen a "site of War Memorial" and "must be preserved and protected for future generations to remember American War Crimes."
The archdiocese of Hue immediately protested the decree but in no vain. In May 2006, the parish was transferred to Vinh diocese. Bishop Paul Maria Cao has since then repeatedly asked for the requisition of the church. All of his petitions have gone into deaf ears.
Recently, tensions between the Church and the government have boiled over after rumors on plans to convert the church into a tourist resort.
For Vietnamese Catholics, Tam Toa Church is a historic landmark. One can trace its origins back to 1631 in early years of the Catholic Church in Vietnam. The parish had grown up quickly during the 17th century and become the largest parish in the region called Sao Bun with up to 1200 members. There had once been an orphanage and a school being operated by the Sisters of Cross Lovers.
In 1886, a group of cultured men, who were highly anti-Westerners, calling themselves "Van Than", attacked the parish of Tam Toa killing 52 parishioners for what it considered retaliation against the French presence in Vietnam. Many Christians, who survived the massacre by fleeing to take shelter in Dong Hoi, erected Tam Toa church was a year later to fulfill the spiritual needs for a growing number of faithful.
Tam Toa today is home parish to more than a thousand parishioners, many of whom are eager to renovate their church and to involve more people with religious activities as the way to foster their faith. But this effort has been stalled indefinitely by the government's interference with the usage of Tam Toa church. Their shepherd, Bishop Paul Maria Cao Dinh Thuyen understood that and he had come to show them his support. The final decision is in God's hand, for now the only thing they can start with is prayers with the hope that people from all over Vietnam and the international community will hear their plea for help and join in to save their lives and their church from being destroyed by the seemingly unyielding current government.