President pays first visit to Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam
President Vo Van Thuong visited the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam at its office in Ho Chi Minh City on August 7, the first by Thuong to the conference as the State President.
The State leader wished Archbishop Giuse Nguyen Nang and members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference as well as all Catholics across the country good health and happiness.
He said that with the joint efforts of the Party, State and people, Vietnam has reaped important achievements in all fields. The country has won COVID-19 pandemic and shown strong socioeconomic recovery and development, maintaining political stability, ensuring social welfare, defence and security, and strengthening foreign relations with outstanding results, he noted.
Thuong highlighted the active contributions from the Catholic community to this success, especially in the fields of social welfare, charity, pandemic prevention and control, and the spreading of humanitarian spirit, love and good values of the nation in general and the community in particular.
The Party and State always stay consistent to the policy of ensuring and respecting the freedom to religions and belief of all people, including the Catholic community, while creating optimal conditions for the community to practice their religion, he affirmed.
Briefing the conference on his visit to the Vatican, President Thuong said that he had a meeting with Pope Francis and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican.
He said that during his working session with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the two sides affirmed that the Vietnam-Vatican relationship is growing fruitfully, and concurred to continue to promote this sound relationship. Vietnam and Vatican also agreed on the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam.
For his part, Archbishop Giuse Nguyen Nang expressed his impression at the outcomes of the President’s visits to Austria, Italy and the Vatican, saying they have helped enhance the international position and reputation of Vietnam, and bring the Vietnam-Vatican ties to a new development period with the approval of the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam.
The Vietnamese Catholic community is delighted as the Vatican will send its Resident Papal Representative to Vietnam, he said.
He affirmed that the community is always enthusiastic about practising the religion, living the gospel, and responding to the call of the Church and the Pope; and committed to serving the community, the society and the country.
He pledged that in the time to come, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam will continue its tradition and making more contributions to the country’s development. It also hopes to show deeper engagement in the fields of education, health care and social welfare, thus making more contributions to the community, he added.
He expressed his belief that with the policies taken by the Party and State, the Catholic community in Vietnam will further promote its potential and strengths, thus contributing more to the national construction and development in the future.