Catholic communities in a northwestern Vietnamese province which refused to accept religions have had their legal status approved by the government after a decades-long wait.
On Aug. 21, Lai Chau provincial authorities announced that they had officially allowed Hung Hoa Diocese to establish Lai Chau Parish based in San Thang commune in Lai Chau city. The parish’s chapel is now based at the house of Nguyen Van Le, a layman.
Authorities permitted Father Joseph Nguyen Van Ninh, 49, to offer pastoral care to 2,791 Catholics from communities who are allowed to gather for prayer. Read more