tvc.dsj.org | February 19, 2019 VIETNAMESE NEWS
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New Vietnam Diocese Brings Fresh Hope to Troubled Area
ucanews.com
Church leaders expect a newly es-
tablished diocese in northern central
Vietnam, which is prone to natural di-
sasters, to bring good prospects, justice
and peace to local people.
Archbishop Marek Zalewski, non-
resident representative of the Holy See
to Vietnam, presided at a ceremony on
February 11 to establish Ha Tinh Dio-
cese and install Dominican Bishop Paul
Nguyen Thai Hop as its first bishop.
Present at the special ceremony held
at Van Hanh Cathedral in Ha Tinh
City were 30 archbishops and bishops,
hundreds of priests, representatives
of the local government and tens of
thousands of people.
“The Catholic Church in Vietnam is
happy to have the new diocese of Ha
Tinh, which has been expected for a
long time by bishops and Catholics of
Vinh Diocese,” Archbishop Joseph Vu
Van Thien of Hanoi said in his homily.
Archbishop Thien said the estab-
lishment of the new diocese marks the
growth of the local Church and creates
favorable conditions for promoting faith,
living in close communion with other
dioceses and evangelizing effectively.
He said the new diocese covering
Bishop Paul Nguyen Thai Hop of Ha Tinh (right) talks with Archbishop Marek Zalewski
before the ceremony to establish Ha Tinh Diocese at Van Hanh Cathedral on February 11.
(Photo courtesy of Ha Tinh Diocese)
the provinces of Ha Tinh and Quang
Binh has 278,559 Catholics, accounting
for 13 percent of the diocese’s popula-
tion, served by 135 priests, 207 religious
and 56 major seminarians.
Archbishop Thien said local people
have striven very hard to survive and
bear witness to their Catholic faith for
a long time in difficult conditions on
their dry and hard land.
The prelate said Bishop Hop plans
to focus on giving education and voca-
tional skills to youths who have to leave
home to look for jobs in cities inside and
outside the country. Most only finish
high school.
Bishop Hop, who heads the Episco-
pal Commission for Justice and Peace
of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of
Vietnam, will also try to raise the voice
of the voiceless, protect their rights and
ensure they are treated fairly, he said.
Archbishop Thien urged local
Catholics to follow the example of
Mary, Mother of God, the new diocese’s
patroness, to live a humble and simple
life and trust in divine providence.
Bishop Hop, 74, told the congrega-
tion that it took the local Church nearly
25 years to gain the approval of the
Holy See and the government to divide
Ha Tinh Diocese from Vinh Diocese.
He said the division aims to meet
local Catholics’ religious needs and
increase evangelization work.
In spite of two dioceses, Catholics in
the provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh and
Quang Binh remain one family sharing
and protecting one faith, he said.
On December 22, Pope Francis es-
tablished Ha Tinh Diocese separately
from Vinh Diocese and appointed
Bishop Hop, then bishop of Vinh, as
bishop of the new diocese. The pope
also named Auxiliary Bishop Alfonse
Nguyen Huu Long of Hung Hoa as
bishop of Vinh.
Ha Tinh is added to Vietnam’s 27
dioceses serving seven million Catho-
lics among the country’s total popula-
tion of 94 million.
Catholic Leaders say Year of the Pig can Bring Together People of all Backgrounds
ucanews.com
Bishops and priests in Vietnam
have called on people to work for the
common good and human values in
the Lunar New Year.
The Year of the Pig, which began on
February 5, is traditionally considered
a year of affluence and pure luck.
Bishop Joseph Dinh Duc Dao of
Xuan Loc said pork is the main course
used for parties at weddings, church
inaugurations, anniversary celebra-
tions and all big feasts and ceremonies.
The pig becomes a catalyst for bringing
people together in unity and jollity.
“I would like to wish each of us to
become a meeting point connecting all
people around us and giving sheer de-
light to other people in the new year,”
Bishop Dao said.
Bishop Dao, head of the Episcopal
Commission on Catholic Education of
the Vietnamese bishops’ conference,
said people traditionally save money
by putting money in piggy banks and
using savings for important and use-
Massgoers celebrate a Lunar New Year’s Eve party at Bac Thanh Church in Nha Trang in
Vietnam on February 4. (Photo by Therese Nguyen)
ful things.
The prelate urged Catholics not to
waste money, energy and time on un-
necessary things but to “wisely spend
them on the common good.”
He said persons’ lives are formed by
good deeds each day, so “I wish you to
accumulate good things and perform
kind acts in your families and parishes
to praise God and serve communities.”
Father Anthony Le Ngoc Thanh, a
human rights advocate, said people
should promote the spirit of patriotism
in the new year through actions such
as using piggy banks to save money.
Last year many people were ar-
rested and imprisoned for staging pro-
tests against economic development
drafts and the supposed risk of a Chi-
nese invasion.
Father Thanh said the government
does not encourage real patriotism
but prefers the love of socialism, which
he said has no nation.
He said the local Catholic Church
aims to heal the psychological and
physical wounds of victims of injustice
caused by government authorities.
Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Chi
Linh, head of the Vietnamese bishops’
conference, called on all Vietnamese
people around the world regardless of
their backgrounds to turn a blind eye
to hatred, division and discrimination
and to be peaceful, happy and loved by
others like their siblings.
He hopes the Vietnamese commu-
nity will become a great family filled
with love, unity and God’s grace.
During Vietnam’s Tet festival to
celebrate the new year, Catholics pray
for national wealth on the first day and
visit cemeteries and pray for ancestors
on the second day.