A. Catholic Population
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As of Dec. 31, 2005, Phat Diem diocese had 152,285 baptized Catholics, including 6,000 Muong
ethnic Catholics, representing 16.5 percent of the 920,127 people in the territory. In 2005, it recorded 274
adult baptisms and 2,386 infant baptisms (under one year old). It also recorded 1,674 marriages between
baptized Catholics and 260 marriages between a baptized Catholic and a non-Catholic. Other religions
include Buddhism and a few other Christian groups.
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People in the Diocese
Baptized Catholics: 152,285 or 16.5%
Followers of other religions: Buddhists and a few non-Catholic
Christians
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B. Diocesan and Religious Priests
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Diocesan priests: 47 Kinh (Vietnamese majority) priests and one
Muong ethnic priest
Religious Priests: 1 Cistercian
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C. Religious Brothers , Sisters
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Religious Brothers: 28
Religious Sisters: 113 (including 4 Muong ethnics)
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D. Catechists
E. Seminaries
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Major seminarians: 34
Seminary candidates: 75
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F. Seminaries and Institutes
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The diocese does not have any seminary or institute. Before 1954, it had Thuong Kiem Major Seminary and Phuc Nhac Minor Seminary, which have been used as education facilities by the government.
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G. Deaneries
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The diocese has nine deaneries with 69 parishes and some 340
subparishes. It also has 69 parish churches and some 300 subparish
churches or chapels. The rest of the subparishes do not have any
chapels.
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| The Phat Diem Cathedral complex with Oriental architecture was built 1875-1898 |
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| The Church of Cistercians is located in Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province |
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Diocesan Activities and Organizations
A. Major Diocesan Commissions and Organizations
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| The altar area at Phat Diem Cathedral |
Committee for Charitable and Social Affairs
Convener: Father Antoine Phans Van Tu
Committee for Clergy and Seminarians
Convener: Father Pierre Vu Dai Dong
Committee for Cultural Affairs
Convener: Father Pierre Nguyen Hong Phuc
Committee for Doctrine of the Faith
Convener: Father Joseph Tran Van Khoa
Committee for Evangelization
Convener: Father Vincente Nguyen Van Phuong
Committee for Holy Music and Arts
Convener: Antoine Doan Minh Hai
Committee for Laity
Convener: Father Jean Baptiste Dinh Cong Dung
Committee for Liturgy
Convener: Father Pierre Vu Dai Dong
Committee for Religious
Convener: Father Pierre Vu Duc Phuong
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B. Catholic Social Welfare
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Three day care centers are run by local Lovers of The Holy Cross Sisters
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C. Social Communications
D. Pastoral Activities
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| Rural women, most of them farmers with low education, are offered free training courses on sewing skills by the local Church in summer at the bishop's house. |
Retreats and catechism courses are annually organized by the bishop and priests during Lent in parishes
The bishop's house also provides poor students with free courses in music, offers youths vocational training in sewing, and lends funds to poor people so that they can earn their living by doing small businesses, growing crops or rearing animals
The diocesan library adjacent to the bishop's house has been serving local people from all walks of life
The diocese deepens local Catholics' faith life through pastoral activities among 24 parish-based active lay associations
It has also been building churches or chapels that were ruined during wars
It plans to ask for the local government's permission to found 10 new parishes in 2007
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Religious Congregations, Societies and Institutes
A. Religious Institutes of Men
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| Phat Diem Lovers of the Holy Cross sisters work with other local farmers on their rice fields for a living |
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Order of Cistercians of Chau Son
Head of the order: Cistercian Father John Pham Van Hung
Address: Phu Son village, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam
Phone: (84) 30 866416
Email: johnhungcs@yahoo.com
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B. Religious Institutes of Women
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Lovers of the Holy Cross Congregation of Phat Diem
Address of the mother house: Luu Phuong village, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam
Phone: (84) 30 862231
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| General Characteristics of the Diocese
Phat Diem diocese was founded on April 2, 1901, but the seeds of the Gospel were introduced to the region as early as 1627 by Paris Foreign Mission (MEP) missioners.
The Phat Diem Cathedral complex with Oriental architecture, was built 1875-1898 under the supervision of the late Father Tran Luc. The main church itself was completed in 1891 long before it became the diocesan cathedral. Father Luc, also the designer of the wood and stone compound, served as the church's pastor until he died in 1899.
The church is surrounded by four chapels, and in front of it lies Father Luc's tomb. Between the tomb and a lake with a big statue of Christ the King in the middle of it stands a bell tower also in Oriental style.
Behind the church and the chapels are various grottos. At the far left corner of the complex is another stone chapel.
In 1988, Vietnam's Ministry of Culture and Information declared the cathedral complex a national cultural and historical site.
In recent years, the cathedral complex has become a pilgrimage site for Catholics throughout the country and also a tourist site for foreigners.
Some other churches in the diocese were also built in Oriental style.
In addition to beautiful caves, there are relics of the old capital of Vietnamese Kings (968-1010) and their temples in the diocese.
The late Bishop Jean Baptiste Nguyen Ba Tong, who was the first Vietnamese-ordained coadjutor bishop of the diocese on June 11, 1933, became the first native bishop of the diocese on Oct. 20, 1935.
The diocese has an area of 1,786.77 square kilometers and covers the whole of Ninh Binh province and Lac Thuy district of Hoa Binh province.
In addition to Kinh (majority Vietnamese), there is only the Muong ethnic group residing in the diocesan territory.
The climate is hot and cold with a yearly average temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. Its annual precipitation is 2,000 millimeters.
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