The Vatican’s first resident envoy to Vietnam has hinted at the possibility of full diplomatic ties between the Holy See and the communist nation in Southeast Asia. “One day, we could have full diplomatic relations with Vietnam. This will be a great achievement,” Archbishop Marek Zalewski said in an interview on Feb 8. The Polish-born Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Catholic Church Vietnam’
Vietnamese Catholics travel to Mongolia to see Pope, ask him to visit
Monday, September 4th, 2023Vietnamese Catholics who flew thousands of miles to see Pope Francis in Mongolia had one message for the pontiff: They wanted him to visit their communist-run country. “Visit Vietnam, Papa,” some in the group shouted as the pope was driven in a golf cart past a crowd of about 2,000 people of various nationalities on Read more
Viet president meets bishops, strengthens ties
Monday, August 21st, 2023Vietnam’s President Vo Van Thuong met with the country’s Catholic bishops to thank the church for its role during the Covid-19 pandemic, share on his recent visit to the Vatican and strengthen ties, including the possibility of opening Catholic schools, media reports say. The meeting was held at the headquarters of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference Read more
Boys marry at 15, girls at 13: what happens next
Monday, April 24th, 2023
Child marriages are common in Vietnam’s Pako ethnic community. Boys marry at 15 and girls at 13. They marry young. They become young parents. Mothers can be very young indeed. Money’s tight. Extended family move over to provide space. Couples commonly live apart with husbands and fathers chasing a living elsewhere in the country. Even Read more
New churches inaugurated in northern Vietnam
Monday, June 13th, 2022
Dioceses in northern Vietnam are building new churches to replace those damaged or abandoned during the Vietnam War. An estimated one million people, including clergy and religious, moved to the south of the country after communist forces defeated French troops and took control of the north in 1954. Local Catholics suffered religious restrictions. They were Read more
Vietnam bishop encourages seminarians to be missionaries
Monday, May 16th, 2022The newly ordained bishop of Vietnam’s largest Catholic diocese has paid a visit to a major seminary and urged the future priests to be missionaries to preach the Good News to cultures and ethnicities at home and abroad. Bishop Dominic Hoang Minh Tien of Hung Hoa Diocese visited Bui Chu Major Seminary in neighbouring Bui Read more
New church opens in Vietnam’s age-old subparish
Thursday, May 12th, 2022Catholics in northern Vietnam who endured pain and suffering caused by wars, natural disasters and religious persecution have witnessed the opening of a new church. Cardinal Peter Nguyen Van Nhon, emeritus archbishop of Hanoi, formally blessed the new church – in Vinh Lai Subparish in Vu Ban district of Nam Dinh province – on May Read more
Vatican, Vietnam agree to upgrade relations
Thursday, April 28th, 2022The Vatican and Vietnam have agreed to upgrade their relations, which have been slowly improving since a total break after the communist victory in the Vietnam War nearly half a century ago. A joint working group agreed at its latest meeting in Hanoi that in the near future relations would be upgraded to the level Read more
Vietnam authorities urged to respect religious freedom
Monday, February 28th, 2022Hanoi Archdiocese has described government officials’ interruption of a Mass celebrated by its archbishop and priests as an offence against Catholics’ faith, urging the government to respect religious freedom. Father Alfonse Pham Hung, head of the Office of Hanoi Archbishop House, said two government officials from Vu Ban town in Hoa Binh province stormed into Read more
Vietnam state officials interrupt mass celebrated by Hanoi archbishop
Thursday, February 24th, 2022Catholics in Vietnam’s Archdiocese of Hanoi were shocked when officials wearing helmets interrupted Sunday Mass that was being celebrated by their Archbishop Joseph Vu Van Thien in the province of Hoa Binh, southwest of the capital. The incident took place on February 20 in the parish of Vu Ban, Fides reported. The church there can Read more