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| The spirit of Ngo Quang Kiet never dies, says the banner |
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| Petition for Archbishop Kiet to stay with us, say banners |
On Friday morning May 7, Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Nhon, 72, was officially installed Coadjutor to Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet in a solemn ceremony at St. Joseph Cathedral, Hanoi.
His appointment has faced a widespread protest of Catholics in Vietnam who fear that the Vatican has acceded to the government's demands, and the arrival of a coadjutor archbishop is only a transitional stage for the retirement of Archbishop Kiet to take place sooner rather than later. Some activists speculate that a change in leadership of the Hanoi archdiocese might be a precondition for further movement toward the renewal of diplomatic ties between the Vatican and Vietnam: a goal the Holy See has been pursuing through informal talks for years.
Early in the morning, hundreds stood outside the Cathedral with banners expressing their admiration and loyalty towards Archbishop Joseph Ngo, and their aspiration that the prelate not to be removed from the archdiocese.
In his introductory speech, the archbishop acknowledged the fear of his flock towards the appointment of Bishop Peter Nguyen. “In the past, the Church in the North suffered so much. The archdiocese of Hanoi has been so miserable. Psychologically, having suffered so much in our life, we become on high alert. It’s natural and necessary,” he said.
However, he assured his flock that, Bishop Peter Nguyen would love and care for the diocese and the faithful, “your happiness will be his joy, your sadness will be his sorrow, and your aspiration will be his desire. He will live and die with you,” the prelate assured his flock asking them to passionately welcome the new coadjutor.
On behalf of the Episcopal Conference, Bishop Joseph Nguyen Chi Linh, Vice President of the Conference congratulated Archbishop Kiet for having Bishop Peter Nguyen as an assistant.
However, he noted that the appointment of Bishop Peter Nguyen stirred up a flaming dispute among Vietnamese Catholics. “Some pessimistically called it a great mistake of Vatican, a sign of divisions among bishops in the Episcopal Conference, a sign of being manipulated, and even a sad chapter of the history of the Church in Vietnam and in Hanoi, in particular.”
The prelate, however, saw in the dispute over the appointment positive signs. Firstly, “bishops in the country had a chance to listen to faithful of all walks of life”, he said. Secondly, “despite their differences and variations, opinions over the appointment show a common point: how deeply the faithful love and concern about the wellbeing of their Church”.
He urged the faithful to keep praying for the Church in Vietnam.
Many predict that the new coadjutor would face enormous challenges in his new post.