VATICAN (CNS) -- The Catholic Church is not a threat to the Vietnamese government and a healthy collaboration between the two is possible, Pope Benedict XVI told Vietnamese bishops.
The church "has absolutely no intention of substituting itself with those in charge of governing, but it only wishes to be able to play an appropriate part in the life of the nation and being at the service of the people in a spirit of dialogue and respectful collaboration," he said.
The pope met with bishops from Vietnam during an audience June 27 at the Vatican. The bishops were making their "ad limina" visits to Rome to report on the status of their dioceses.
Pope Benedict told them, "You know as I do that a healthy collaboration between the church and the political community is possible."
The church calls on all Catholics to work toward the building of society that is marked by justice, solidarity and equality, he said.
Catholic laity and families play a crucial role in building a better world, especially in teaching children "to live with an unswerving conscience in faith and truth," he said.
The Catholic family should nurture and be the source of human values and virtues and be "a school of faith and love toward God," he said, adding that proper formation was, therefore, critical.
The life of a lay Catholic should exemplify "charity, honesty and love for the common good," proving that a good Catholic is a good citizen, said the pope.
"Religions do not represent a danger to the unity of a nation because they aim to help individuals become holy" and be at the generous service of others, he said.
There are continued restrictions on Catholic life in Vietnam and the Vietnamese government continues to insist on approving the candidates for bishop before the pope names them officially. The Vatican and Vietnam do not have diplomatic relations, but Vatican diplomats make annual visits to Vietnam to discuss church-state relations and other specific questions.
Of Vietnam's 83 million inhabitants, some six million, or 7 percent of the population, are Catholic.
(Source: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0902962.htm)
The church "has absolutely no intention of substituting itself with those in charge of governing, but it only wishes to be able to play an appropriate part in the life of the nation and being at the service of the people in a spirit of dialogue and respectful collaboration," he said.
The pope met with bishops from Vietnam during an audience June 27 at the Vatican. The bishops were making their "ad limina" visits to Rome to report on the status of their dioceses.
Pope Benedict told them, "You know as I do that a healthy collaboration between the church and the political community is possible."
The church calls on all Catholics to work toward the building of society that is marked by justice, solidarity and equality, he said.
Catholic laity and families play a crucial role in building a better world, especially in teaching children "to live with an unswerving conscience in faith and truth," he said.
The Catholic family should nurture and be the source of human values and virtues and be "a school of faith and love toward God," he said, adding that proper formation was, therefore, critical.
The life of a lay Catholic should exemplify "charity, honesty and love for the common good," proving that a good Catholic is a good citizen, said the pope.
"Religions do not represent a danger to the unity of a nation because they aim to help individuals become holy" and be at the generous service of others, he said.
There are continued restrictions on Catholic life in Vietnam and the Vietnamese government continues to insist on approving the candidates for bishop before the pope names them officially. The Vatican and Vietnam do not have diplomatic relations, but Vatican diplomats make annual visits to Vietnam to discuss church-state relations and other specific questions.
Of Vietnam's 83 million inhabitants, some six million, or 7 percent of the population, are Catholic.
(Source: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0902962.htm)