RSS“Healthy collaboration is possible” between the Catholic Church and political authorities in Vietnam, Pope Benedict XVI told visiting Vietnamese bishops.
The Catholic Church “only desires to be able to take a rightful part, in a spirit of dialogue and respectful collaboration, in the life of the nation, at the service of all the people,” he said while addressing the visitors at his library at the Vatican on June 27.
The bishops, who were on their ad limina or five-yearly visit to the Vatican to report to the Pope and Vatican officials, also expressed hope that the pontiff would visit their homeland.
 |
|
Gerard O’Connell |
The Pope made it clear that the Church “does not absolutely intend to substitute for those who have responsibility for government,” given the past Church-state tensions over property confiscated under communist rule.
The Church “contributes to the human and spiritual development of people, and also to the development of the country” by announcing the Good News of Jesus Christ and carrying out her works of charity, he said. This is an important contribution, he added, particularly at this time when Vietnam is opening up more and more to the international community.
“Religions do not represent a danger for the unity of the nation,” he told bishops in what was obviously a message meant to reassure the Vietnamese authorities. The aim of religions is “to help the individual to become holy” and “through their institutions,” religions “desire to put themselves generously and in a disinterested way at the service of the neighbor,” he said.
Pope Benedict´s comments on Church-State relations are significant, coming as they did when the Holy See and Vietnam are close to establishing diplomatic relations, and when there is talk of a papal visit to Asia.
The possibility of the Pope visiting Vietnam was high on the agenda of the country´s bishops.
Bishop Pierre Nguyen Van Nhon, president of the Catholic Bishops´ Conference of Vietnam made this clear when he greeted the Pope. “Are we authorized to hope to be able to welcome you one day, Holy Father, on Vietnamese soil, in our three ecclesiastical provinces, and in particular at the Marian pilgrimage centre of La Vang?” Bishop Nhon asked.
The Vatican daily, “L´Osservatore Romano,” reported his words in its June 28 edition under the headline: “An invitation to visit the dioceses of the country.”
Pope Benedict could not confirm there and then if he would visit Vietnam, as a formal invitation has yet to arrive from the government. But the bishops are apparently hoping that he would.
As Bishop Nhon explained, “We will celebrate a special Jubilee Year from Nov. 24, 2009, the solemnity of the Vietnamese martyrs, to (the feast of) the Epiphany of 2011.”
The celebrations commemorate the 350th anniversary of the creation of the first two apostolic vicariates of Tonkin (Dang Ngoai) and Cochinchine (Dang Trong) by Pope Alexander VII in 1659 and the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Catholic hierarchy in Vietnam by Pope John XXIII in 1960.
Pope Benedict expressed hope that the celebrations would allow the bishops “to share with enthusiasm the joy of the faith with all Vietnamese, by renewing your missionary commitments.”
He urged them to invite Vietnam´s Catholics during the Jubilee Year “to thank God for the gift of faith in Jesus Christ,” a gift that “was welcomed generously, and lived and witnessed by many martyrs, who wished to proclaim the truth and the universality of faith in God.”
The Pope said, “The witness given to Christ is the supreme service that the Church can offer to Vietnam and to all the peoples of Asia because it responds to the profound search for the truth and the values that guarantee integral human dignity.”
Clearly overjoyed at the visit, Pope Benedict studied a map of Vietnam with Bishop Nhon and said, “It´s a great joy to welcome you… and a great comfort because I know the deep bonds of fidelity and love that the faithful of your country nourish for the Church and the Pope.”
He said the prelates had come to show their “communion with the successor of (Saint) Peter and “to reinforce the unity” among themselves, as bishops, a unity which he said “must increase.”
The Pope also paid tribute to the late Cardinal Paul Joseph Pham Dinh Tung who served as Ha Noi archbishop with great “pastoral zeal and humility.” He encouraged the bishops to draw inspiration from such “great pastors” who were examples of “holiness, humility and simplicity of life.”
He requested them to convey his thanks to diocesan and Religious priests in Vietnam, for their fine service to the people and, in this Year for Priests, he counseled them to “take care” of their priests and to “be full of understanding.”
He hailed the rich harvest of vocations to the priesthood and to Religious life in Vietnam, especially among women, as “a gift of the Lord.”
Recalling how the Vietnamese bishops had issued a pastoral letter in 2008 to “the lay faithful,” Pope Benedict endorsed this and encouraged Vietnamese Catholic families to make their homes “a place of values and human virtues, a school of faith and love for God.”
He encouraged lay Catholics in Vietnam “to show through their lives based on charity, honesty, and love for the common good, that a good Catholic is also a good citizen.”
He also advised the bishops to provide good formation for the laity “so that they can effectively serve the Church and society.”
The Pope urged bishops to care especially for young people, “particularly those in rural areas and those attracted to the cities to do higher studies and find work.” He also advocated special pastoral care for “young internal migrants” and greater collaboration between the dioceses and Religious congregations.
Vietnam in 2007 had 6,087,659 Catholics out of a population of some 85 million people. Buddhists account for about a quarter of the population.
————-
Gerard O´Connell covers the Vatican as a correspondent for UCA News and other news organizations.
Share
Twitter