HANOI (UCAN): Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organisations, arrived for a six-day visit to Vietnam on April 9. He was welcomed by Archbishop Marek Zalewski, the resident pontifical representative to Vietnam, at Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi.
Archbishop Gallagher met his Vietnamese counterpart, Bui Thanh Son, upon arrival and affirmed that the Vatican and Vietnam have a good relationship.
He expressed hope that “the bilateral relationship would continue to achieve important milestones” in the future, www.vietnamnews.vn reported.
Bui agreed and said that the Vatican envoy’s visit would further strengthen ties between both sides. He proposed continuing high-level exchange activities and stated that the government would create conditions for Archbishop Zalewski to fulfill his mission in the country.
Bui appreciated the positive progress of relations in recent years, especially the agreement on the working regulations of the pontifical resident representative and his office in Vietnam.
The deal was signed in July 2023, during the visit of former president, Vo Van Thuong, to the Holy See.
Vo also extended an invitation to Pope Francis to visit Vietnam.
We pray for the Holy See and the government to reach full diplomatic relations soon so that we can live out our faith and have religious activities without any restrictions
Francis Tran Thanh
Archbishop Gallagher is the most senior official to visit the country since diplomatic relations were broken off in 1975 when the northern communist forces took control of South Vietnam and expelled the apostolic delegate from the former capital, Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City.
Relations have improved since both sides started regular talks in the late 1990s. Last December, the Vatican appointed Archbishop Zalewski as its first pontifical resident representative to Vietnam
Vietnam is home to about seven million Catholics out of a total population of 100 million, making it one of the largest communities in Asia.
“We pray for the Holy See and the government to reach full diplomatic relations soon so that we can live out our faith and have religious activities without any restrictions,” Francis Tran Thanh, a lay leader from Quang Tri province, said.
Tran said that “religious freedom is not an asking-and-granting mechanism run by the government, but a basic human right that all people must respect.’ He said local people have had religious activities restricted for nearly half a century.
A great number of Church-run facilities were confiscated, Catholics were banned from partaking in public healthcare and education, and communities in remote areas were limited to holding services, building churches, and doing evangelisation.
Tran said that local people long for a papal visit, which they believe would strengthen their faith in a fast-changing society.
