Vietnamese President visits the Vatican, meets with Pope Francis, Cardinal Pietro Parol

During the meeting with Pope Francis, the Vietnamese State leader emphasized that he treasures Pope Francis’ attention and sentiments towards the Vietnamese people’s past struggles for national independence and the country at present, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He applauded the noteworthy progress in relations between Vietnam and the Vatican through regular high-level meetings over the past years, and the effective implementation of the mechanism of Joint Working Group.

The President affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and State consistently pursue a policy of respecting and ensuring the freedom of belief and religion, saying the nation has constantly revamp its legal framework to facilitate the practice of religions, including Catholicism.

He hailed the positive contributions by the Catholic community in Vietnam to charitable activities, education, health care and vocation training, and voiced  his hope that they will continue playing a role in the process of national construction and development.

For his part, Pope Francis stressed that President Thuong’s visit gave a chance two both sides to compare notes on the situation of Catholics in Vietnam as well as the Vietnam-Vatican relations.

President Thuong greatly valued guidelines and teachings of Pope Francis and the Vatican for the Catholic community in Vietnam, saying he hoped that Pope Francis will pay more attention to guiding Catholic dignitaries and followers in the Southeast Asian nation to further accompany the State and people, for national development and prosperity.

He also highlighted the Vatican’s role in global issues, maintaining peace, sustainable development, the environment and ensuring human rights.

Pope Francis affirmed that the Vatican wished for stronger ties with Vietnam, and urged the Vietnam Catholic Church to continue fulfilling the vocation of  “accompanying the nation” and to be “good Catholics and good citizens”, while encouraging Catholic dignitaries and followers to make more contributions to the development of the country and the church.

They shared the view that the conclusion of the Agreement on the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam is viewed as an important step in the context of positive development in the bilateral relations, and the result of discussions in the spirit of mutual respect and understanding, and cooperation.

The two sides expressed their belief that the Resident Papal Representative will make more active contributions to the relations between the Vatican and the Catholic community in Vietnam, and well as the relationship between the Vatican and the country.

President Thuong asserted that Vietnam will create optimal conditions for the Resident Papal Representative to work in the country in accordance with its laws and regulations, and the agreement between the two sides.

He said he hopes that the Vietnam Catholic Church will grow further and contribute more to the process of national development.

Pope Francis stressed that the approval of the agreement was a model of mutual trust, and a foundation to further propel the relations between Vietnam and the Vatican forward in the time to come.

Meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican the same day, President Thuong briefed his host on Vietnam’s external and religious policies, while saying that Vietnamese Party and State always create favourable conditions for religions to operate and develop in line with the Constitution and laws, including the Law on Belief and Religion.

At the meeting, the two sides discussed Vietnam-Vatican ties and the Catholic situation in Vietnam.

Vietnam will continue revising legal framework for religious activities of the public and religious organisations, Thuong told Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

He wished that Parolin, in his important role in the Holy See, and with his understanding of and deep affection for Vietnam, would continue paying attention to the activities of the Catholic community in the country as a contribution to further  accelerating the positive development of the Vietnam-Vatican relationship.

Parolin, for his part, hailed Vietnam's achievements in ensuring religious freedom for all religions, including Catholicism.

He thanked Vietnam for recognising positive contributions made by the Catholic Church in various areas such as charity work, education, health care and vocational training. He also praised the role of the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group in raising mutual understanding and trust, and agreed to resolve any differences through dialogue.

Lauding Vietnam’s increasingly important role in the Catholic Church with over 7.2 million Catholics, he affirmed that the Holy See always encourages Catholic dignitaries and followers in Vietnam to follow the mottos of “Accompanying the nation” and “A good Catholic is a good citizen”, making positive contributions to the development of the country and the Church in particular.

The Vietnamese State leader underlined the Vatican's role in global issues and wished that the Vatican would continue upholding its role in mediating conflicts, preserving peace, promoting sustainable development, and reinforcing unity, friendship, cooperation and development among nations and religions worldwide.

Affirming its support for all initiatives aimed at building peace globally, the Vatican pledges to back the settlement of disputes in the East Sea through peaceful means in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), he said.

Both host and guest also discussed the conclusion of the Agreement on the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam.

President Thuong said Vietnam will continue supporting the Vatican in finalizing the necessary procedures to establish the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Hanoi and assist the activities of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam.

Concluding the visit, the two sides issued a joint communique on the conclusion of the Agreement on the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative of the Vatican in Vietnam.

Both sides expressed their confidence that the Resident Papal Representative will fulfill the role and mandate given in the Agreement, provide support to the Vietnamese Catholic community in their undertakings in the spirit of the law and, always inspired by the Magisterium of the Church, to fulfill the vocation of “accompanying the nation” and to be “good Catholics and good citizens”, and contribute to the development of the country; while the Representative will serve as a bridge to further  enhance relations between Vietnam and the Holy See.