VIENTIANE (UCAN) -- The head of Luang Prabang vicariate is optimistic that more Church institutions will be established there now that the first new church has been blessed in northern Laos.

Monsignor Tito Banchong Thopahong, apostolic administrator of Luang Prabang, told UCA News March 17 that Our Lady of Fatima Church "is the first official church built in the northern vicariate since 1975," when communists took control of the country.

"I am extremely happy about the new church. I thank the Lord for inspiring government authorities to allow us to build it," said Monsignor Banchong, 56, who also is Luang Prabang vicariate's only priest.

On March 12, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Bangkok-based apostolic delegate to Laos, blessed the church in Ban Pong Vang, Xayaburi province, 180 kilometers northwest of Vientiane. All 86 Catholic families of the village, neighbors and government officials attended the event, which included Mass, a traditional welcoming rite a feast. Ban Pong Vang is about 20 kilometers from Xayaburi town, the provincial capital.

The church, which is 11 meters long and 8 meters wide, can accommodate up to 150 people, Monsignor Banchong said, adding that construction was completed last year.

"The Catholics of Ban Pong Vang, about 300 of whom are ethnic Khmu, are very happy to have the new church," added the priest, an ethnic Hmong, who until now has been based in Vientiane.

His vicariate has about 3,500 Catholics living in the northern provinces of Bo Keo, Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Phong Xali, Udomxai and Xayaburi.

The local Church leader, who is allowed to visit Catholics only in Luang Prabang and Xayaburi provinces, said he will go to Ban Pong Vang again on March 18 to celebrate Holy Week in the new church. That will be his fourth visit this year, he noted, whereas previously he visited only four times in a year.

Monsignor Banchong hopes another development will aid his work in the vicariate. Besides the Ban Pong Vang church, the government also gave him permission to build a "guesthouse" in Luang Prabang, an ancient capital and a center for Buddhism and culture, 220 kilometers north of Vientiane. He said construction of the six-room guesthouse has begun and will be completed by the end of 2005. He plans to live there and make it the base for the vicariate.

Before he can do pastoral work, however, he must develop understanding with local officials, since "it is not prudent to sneak off to minister to Catholics without government approval."

Nonetheless, he is optimistic that authorities "might consider" giving permission to build another church, in Phonxiang, also in Xayaburi, where he says authorities have already given Catholics permission to gather and pray.

"The Church presence will slowly spread because it is trying to work within the government policy to teach citizens to become religious people so they can develop the country in all aspects," Monsignor Banchong said. "We are not working against the government in any way," added the priest, who was detained from April 1977 to February 1981, from the end of 1984 until September 1986 and again for five months in 1998.

He said he talked with Archbishop Pennacchio about a plan to build a home to train young people in vocational skills such as sewing. Another of Monsignor Banchong's plans is to travel to Nong Khieu and Viengkham, not only to visit Catholics but also to talk to local authorities there about the possibility of building medical centers with funds from the Italian bishops.

The Italian bishops' conference has provided funding for a couple of local programs, one of which is Pak Leum leprosy center in Luang Prabang.

According to Monsignor Banchong, Ban Pong Vang has a total of about 200 families. The villagers are mostly subsistence rice farmers who also grow vegetables, corn, soybean, sesame plants and Job's tears, a coarse tropical grass with beads that yield edible grain.

A catechist serves the 86 Catholic families by leading prayers every Sunday in addition to teaching catechism, the Luang Prabang administrator said.

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