Vu Nhi Cong

Across the country, those who could not leave were involved in a number of initiatives. Seminars and conferences for young people in the diocese were held in Ho Chi Minh City, Cần Thơ and Vinh. "We must study and work hard for our lives, families, society and local Church,” young Catholics say.

Social workers and diocesan Caritas volunteers are committed to end social discrimination. Trained in the basics, "community volunteers" help the poor and abandoned find work and fit in the workplace. For Vicar of Thủy Yên, volunteers “are a sign of God's love and the Church’s presence”.

The authorities sent bulldozers and agents with batons and electric whips to Lộc Hưng to seize land owned by the Society for Foreign Missions of Paris (MEP). Gathered in prayer, about a hundred families ask for justice. The displaced pledge to continue the fight.

Pope Francis created the country’s 27th diocese by splitting it from Vinh. Despite economic difficulties, Catholics play a leading role in evangelisation and Church missionary work. Their contribution is also appreciated by the government.

The prime minister noted the “important progress in the process of developing relations between Vietnam and the Holy See” as well as the “positive and effective contributions of Vietnamese Catholics to the development of our country.” Citing Pope Francis, Mgr Camilleri calls on Catholics to "live the Gospel in the heart of the nation.”

Several ethnic minorities live in the Diocese of Lạng Sơn-Cao Bằng, amid poverty and social and geographical marginalisation. Believers, seminarians and nuns have responded to the vicar's call "to make sacrifices and meet the material and spiritual needs of the downtrodden". "We bring the warmth of the manger in Bethlehem," said Brother Joseph.

Thousands of students and hundreds of teachers are involved in the problem. For one university lecturer, the " educational system is foggy and has fallen into the abyss." Students and teachers are prisoners of the ideas of socialism imposed by the regime.

For years, provincial authorities have subjected the vicar of Mỹ Khánh to threats and accusations. Officials failed to turn local Catholics against him. Only members of Communist organisations heeded their call. For one Catholic, “Fr Antoine is a patriot and loves all Vietnamese people, Catholics and non-Catholics."

The inauguration ceremony will be held in St Joseph Cathedral on 18 December. The new archbishop was the bishop of Hải Phòng for 16 years, during which he gave impetus to the diocese’s development. In Hanoi he will face the seizure and forced occupation of Church-owned assets.

Catholics gathered in Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình and Nghệ An. Together with Thừa Thiên-Huế, the territories have been the scene of the most serious environmental disaster in the history of the country. The commitment of Msgr. Nguyễn Thái Hợp for the victims.

Since September, the local administration has sold many lots of the forest. Thugs hired by the authorities attack the Catholics to convince them to leave the area. "For the regime the land belongs to the people but the real masters are the party and the 'red capitalists'".

The Communist regime had stopped the charity in June 1976. Bishops, priests, superiors of religious orders, leaders and benefactors of the 26 diocesan Caritas took part in the annual conference. Dương Ngọc Tấn, vice president of the Commission for Religious Affairs of the Government, expressed "appreciation for the spirit of service and contribution of Caritas Vietnam". Mgr Zalewski told the volunteers that they should live "the mission as salt and light for others".