Vietnam: Archbishop Girelli on pastoral visit to the dioceses of the far North
by J.B. Vu
The Holy See representative makes a series of pastoral visits to two dioceses of North Vietnam, where hundreds of thousands of people have not yet received the Gospel and where Catholic communities are very poor and live in remote areas.
Hanoi (AsiaNews) - The papal non-resident representative to Vietnam, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, has made a series of pastoral visits to the Dioceses of Hưng Hóa and Phát Diệm in northern Vietnam. The two dioceses main concerns relate to the preparation of future priests and religious, and especially of the laity, so that they can become leaders of the committees, catechists and, members of Catholic parish associations.
From November 25 to 27 Archbishop Girelli visited the Diocese of Hưng Hóa. The diocese is located in the northeast of Vietnam, near the Chinese border to the north and Laos to the west. The diocese has 10 provinces and cities, with a total of 54,500 km square and includes parishes such as Phú Thọ, Yên Bái, Lào Cai, Tuyên Quang, Hà Giang, Hòa Bình, Sơn La, Lai Châu and Điện Biên.. According to diocesan statistics, there are 230 thousand Catholics out of a total of seven million inhabitants, or about three percent of the population. Currently there are 70 priests, 77 brothers, 200 seminarians, 240 nuns, 94 parishes and circa 500 Catholic communities. On 27 November the archbishop visited and celebrated Mass in the parish of Lào Cai. Thousands of parishioners waved white and yellow flags and sang: "We love you, representative of Pope Benedict XVI." The presence of a papal delegate is a message to all Vietnamese Catholics of a deep communion with the Catholic Church.
Father Joseph Nguyễn Thái Hà representative of the Lào Cai parish area told the archbishop: "Our parish first received the Good News from missionaries in 1880. In 1898 the church was destroyed by war. From 1947 to 1998 we had no priest who could take care of the flock. Today we are very happy to be able to receive the grace of God in this remote parish. " During Mass for the first Sunday of Advent, Archbishop Girelli said: "Today we enter Advent: the season to receive the Lord. Saint Mark describes image of the doorman who remains awake, waiting for his owner to return “suddenly”. This is an image that we need to imitate during this Advent. The doorman remains constantly vigilant to recognize and welcome the owner. The owner is God. Faith transforms us into people who have the ability to know God and be ready to receive Him. "
From November 28 to 30, the archbishop visited the Diocese of Phát Diệm. He met with the parishioners of the parishes of Mưỡu Giáp, Hảo Nho, Vô Hốt, and Ninh Bình. At present, the diocese has 77 parishes with more than 160 thousand faithful, 68 priests, 58 deacons, 7 seminarians, 31 minor seminarians, and a congregation of Holy Cross Lovers, which includes about two hundred religious. The diocese has more than 800 thousand people who have not yet received the Gospel.
On 29 November, the Vatican representative, along with Bishop Joseph Nguyễn Năng, celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving for 110 years of the Diocese of Phat Diệm in the cathedral. Bishop Nguyễn Năng said: "We are delighted and honored to be here, in a diocese that is home to 11 martyrs. Our martyrs have lived and died for their faith, as Father Paul Nguyễn Khắc Khoan, the catechist John Baptist Thanh Đinh Văn, Peter Nguyễn Khắc Từ, and the only female martyr of the 117 martyrs of Vietnam, Saint'Anne Lê Thị Thành. " The representative of the Holy See also visited the most remote parishes and met more than ten thousand parishioners. The Catholic communities are very poor, and perform work of evangelization for Catholic and non-Catholics in the most remote and isolated areas of Vietnam.
From November 25 to 27 Archbishop Girelli visited the Diocese of Hưng Hóa. The diocese is located in the northeast of Vietnam, near the Chinese border to the north and Laos to the west. The diocese has 10 provinces and cities, with a total of 54,500 km square and includes parishes such as Phú Thọ, Yên Bái, Lào Cai, Tuyên Quang, Hà Giang, Hòa Bình, Sơn La, Lai Châu and Điện Biên.. According to diocesan statistics, there are 230 thousand Catholics out of a total of seven million inhabitants, or about three percent of the population. Currently there are 70 priests, 77 brothers, 200 seminarians, 240 nuns, 94 parishes and circa 500 Catholic communities. On 27 November the archbishop visited and celebrated Mass in the parish of Lào Cai. Thousands of parishioners waved white and yellow flags and sang: "We love you, representative of Pope Benedict XVI." The presence of a papal delegate is a message to all Vietnamese Catholics of a deep communion with the Catholic Church.
Father Joseph Nguyễn Thái Hà representative of the Lào Cai parish area told the archbishop: "Our parish first received the Good News from missionaries in 1880. In 1898 the church was destroyed by war. From 1947 to 1998 we had no priest who could take care of the flock. Today we are very happy to be able to receive the grace of God in this remote parish. " During Mass for the first Sunday of Advent, Archbishop Girelli said: "Today we enter Advent: the season to receive the Lord. Saint Mark describes image of the doorman who remains awake, waiting for his owner to return “suddenly”. This is an image that we need to imitate during this Advent. The doorman remains constantly vigilant to recognize and welcome the owner. The owner is God. Faith transforms us into people who have the ability to know God and be ready to receive Him. "
From November 28 to 30, the archbishop visited the Diocese of Phát Diệm. He met with the parishioners of the parishes of Mưỡu Giáp, Hảo Nho, Vô Hốt, and Ninh Bình. At present, the diocese has 77 parishes with more than 160 thousand faithful, 68 priests, 58 deacons, 7 seminarians, 31 minor seminarians, and a congregation of Holy Cross Lovers, which includes about two hundred religious. The diocese has more than 800 thousand people who have not yet received the Gospel.
On 29 November, the Vatican representative, along with Bishop Joseph Nguyễn Năng, celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving for 110 years of the Diocese of Phat Diệm in the cathedral. Bishop Nguyễn Năng said: "We are delighted and honored to be here, in a diocese that is home to 11 martyrs. Our martyrs have lived and died for their faith, as Father Paul Nguyễn Khắc Khoan, the catechist John Baptist Thanh Đinh Văn, Peter Nguyễn Khắc Từ, and the only female martyr of the 117 martyrs of Vietnam, Saint'Anne Lê Thị Thành. " The representative of the Holy See also visited the most remote parishes and met more than ten thousand parishioners. The Catholic communities are very poor, and perform work of evangelization for Catholic and non-Catholics in the most remote and isolated areas of Vietnam.
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