The correct viewpoint of the Party and State, institutionalised in the ordinance, has helped facilitate religious activities. The implementation of the ordinance and decree has basically met the demand for the legitimate religious activities of religious followers and organisations.

According to religious reports from 35 cities and provinces, 711 dignitaries have been ordained and appointed, including 161 Buddhists, 143 Catholics, 94 Protestants, 218 Cao Daists and 95 Hoa Hao Buddhists. Local administrations have created favourable conditions for religions to be established, split and move into new worship places.

All conferences and congresses of religious organisations have been held lawfully. All chapters of the Vietnam Catholic Church in the plains have organised congresses. Thirty-seven chapters in Central Highlands provinces and southern Binh Phuoc province have established councils. The Central Highlands province of Gia Lai allowed five chapters with more than 2,000 followers to organise its congress in June 2005, bringing the total number Protestant chapters recognised in the region to 42 chapters.       

All religious schools have increased the number of training courses and students. The Bible Theological Seminary of the Southern Protestant Church recruited 100 students for the second academic year - 50 more than last year. It also opened a course for untrained pastors and missionaries from Central Highlands provinces. In total these religious schools and classes attracted thousands of followers. Religious admittances to sects were carried out voluntarily. Worship places were built to meet the increasing demand for followers’ practices.  

Several localities have granted land use right certificates to religious sects to build worship places, headquarters and schools such as the Bible Theological Seminary of the Southern Protestant Church, the Vietnam Buddhist Institute in Hanoi, and Protestant chapters in Central Highlands provinces of Gia Lai and Dak Lak. Religious organisations were allowed to print and publish religious books.

The Government has also encouraged religious organisations to join social, healthcare and charitable and humanitarian campaigns. Every year, these organisations donate tens of billion of Vietnam Dong to help needy families. They have also opened pre-schools and medical centres to help orphans, poor people and people with disabilities. 

External relations of religious organisations and individuals have been expanded. The State has created the best conditions for religious organisations to participate in international religious activities in line with the customs and practices of each religion. The Vietnam Catholic Church attended a conference of the Asian Pastors Council and a World Young Catholic Congress. Meanwhile, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha attended a regional workshop on Buddhism and exchanged visits with international Buddhist organisations. In early 2005, Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh and nearly 200 monks and nuns from Mai Village pagoda in France visited Vietnam, where they organised several religious activities at the invitation of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. 

However, a lack of instructions regarding several articles has affected the implementation of the ordinance. The implementation was inconsistent and revealed weaknesses here and there, which require more efforts from relevant agencies to remove these obstacles and translate religious policies into reality.

Religious followers, particularly dignitaries, have expressed their confidence in the open and transparent religious policies of the Party and State. In seasonal greetings to Catholics and Protestants to mark Xmas 2005, the President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front praised their solidarity spirit and significant contributions to the campaign “The entire population unite to build a new cultural lifestyle and lead a secular life in residential areas” launched by the Vietnam Committee for Solidarity of the Catholics, and the campaign “Day for the Poor” launched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front. 

Despite different religions, followers uphold the spirit of patriotism and national independence to shoulder non-religious people and build a rich people, a strong country, and an equitable, democratic and civilised society.