Vatican delegation going to Hanoi to discuss diplomatic ties and religious freedom
ICC Note: Vietnam is making it appear as though they are working toward religious freedom, but behind the scenes they continue to persecute the followers of Jesus Christ
3/2/07 Vietnam For full storyΒ ..(AsiaNews) Β Another step in the long and arduous journey towards religious freedom in Vietnam and the normalization of ties between Hanoi and the Vatican . The approach of a Holy See delegation preparing to leave for a visit to Vietnam tomorrow has been described as ΒpositiveΒ in the Vatican . The delegation, which is led by the undersecretary Βfor Foreign AffairsΒ, Mgr Pietro Parolin, will be in Vietnam until Sunday next, 11 March.
This event was described as a Βnew and important step towards the normalization of bilateral tiesΒ in a statement by the Holy See, which also underlined the Βconcrete progressΒ towards religious freedom registered in recent years. The statement also expressed the hope that ties between the Church and State would allow for collaboration to promote moral values and to spread a culture of solidarity and Βcharitable assistanceΒ.
Now the Vatican delegation headed for Hanoi aims for the concrete launch of a process towards diplomatic ties, even if not their immediate realization, and also for the appointment of bishops. The delegation will visit some local Catholic projects.
The normalization of diplomatic ties and the opening of more space for religious freedom Β the Vatican admits Βsignificant steps aheadΒ have been made with a recent Vietnamese law in this regard Β are anxiously expected by Catholics of the country. They are held to be the outcome of local situations, which anyhow will be discussed, like what is going on in Son La, in the extreme north-west of the country, on the border with Laos . In this remote province, Communist party officials ban public masses and prayer meetings and put all manner of obstacles in the way of Catholics, who are subject to a systematic defamation campaign. Such episodes have prompted Vietnamese Catholics to voice fears that the attitude of openness of the government of Hanoi about diplomatic ties with the Holy See is motivated above all by the desire to see growth in foreign investment, as well as a plan to instigate differences between Catholics and followers of other religions and a bid to create division between Catholics themselves.
In reality, after years of persecution and the failure of attempts to create a ΒPatriotic AssociationΒ on the Chinese model, Hanoi has come to the conclusion that Catholic morality can be useful for the country. Vietnam is suffering due to inequalities provoked by rapid and non harmonious economic growth, corruption and the spread of a mentality based on a frantic search for success at all costs. The ΒcontributionΒ of Catholics for the Βpromotion of moral values, especially among youth, the spread of a culture of solidarity and charitable aid for the most vulnerable groups of the populationΒ was mentioned by the Vatican statement issued after the visit of the Vietnamese premier.
