Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - A delegation from the Vietnamese government’s Commission for Religious Affairs concluded a 6 day visit to the Holy See on Saturday 2 July. The delegation was led by the director of the Commission Mr Ngo Yen Thi, assisted by two officials and two representatives respectively of the government and the Foreign Ministry. According to a statement issued by the Holy See Press Office the Commission made this visit - the second after a visit in 1992 - in response to the invitation received from the Holy See Delegation during its annual visit to Vietnam in April-May 2004. In the context of annual bilateral meetings the aim of this recent visit was to continue to further relations between Church and State in Vietnam and to allow the Vietnamese government to learn more about the Holy See.
The Delegation arrived in Rome in the late morning of 27 June and was officially welcomed in the afternoon by Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, Holy See secretary for relations with states. Over the next few days the delegation members met several heads of Vatican departments including Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and the presidents of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
The delegation also visited the Vietnamese section of Vatican Radio and Urban College "de Propaganda Fide" where they greeted a group of students from various dioceses in Vietnam preparing from the priesthood. On June 29, feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the delegation attended the Mass in St Peter’s Basilica presided by Pope Benedict XVI during which new archbishops, including Archbishop Joseph Ngô Quang Kiêt, of Há Nôi, received the Pallium, sign of their office and their unity among themselves and with the Pope and the universal Church
Working sessions with the Secretariat of State led by the under secretary for relations with states Mgr Pietro Parolin, in a climate of cordial respect and dialogue, focussed on aspects of the activity of the Catholic Church in Vietnam, dwelling on developments since the last meeting and open questions. Special attention was given to the new law on beliefs and religions passed last November by the Vietnamese government. The participants did not fail to discuss the question of relations between the Holy See and Vietnam expressing the hope that they will soon be normalised. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 4/7/200 Righe 30; Parole 425)
