Hanoi, Jun. 11, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Vatican representatives concluded their talks with Vietnamese government leaders in Hanoi this week, without releasing any official report.
After two days of meetings with government officials and with local Catholics, the Vatican delegation-- headed by Msgr. Pietro Parolin of the Secretariat of State-- headed for the city of Da Lat. They will travel to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) and the country's central provinces before concluding their trip.
In Hanoi the Vatican officials met with Pham Gia Khiem, Vietnam's foreign minister and deputy prime minister. The delegation from Rome reportedly raised issues relating to the appointment of bishops, religious freedom, and disputes over the ownership of properties once held by the Church. In particular, the delegation pressed government officials about the ownership of the building that once housed the offices of the apostolic nuncio in Hanoi. Vietnamese Catholics are voicing concerns about the Vietnamese government's commitment to honor a promise that the nunciature would be returned to the Church.
In another session with Nguyen The Thao, a Communist official of Hanoi, Msgr. Parolin again reportedly raised the government's plans for turning over the nunciature, but did not receive a direct reply. The government official praised the “contribution offered by the Catholic community in the common cause for a society of peace, equality, progress, and development,” but failed to mention any concrete plan to solve the property dispute.
After two days of meetings with government officials and with local Catholics, the Vatican delegation-- headed by Msgr. Pietro Parolin of the Secretariat of State-- headed for the city of Da Lat. They will travel to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) and the country's central provinces before concluding their trip.
In Hanoi the Vatican officials met with Pham Gia Khiem, Vietnam's foreign minister and deputy prime minister. The delegation from Rome reportedly raised issues relating to the appointment of bishops, religious freedom, and disputes over the ownership of properties once held by the Church. In particular, the delegation pressed government officials about the ownership of the building that once housed the offices of the apostolic nuncio in Hanoi. Vietnamese Catholics are voicing concerns about the Vietnamese government's commitment to honor a promise that the nunciature would be returned to the Church.
In another session with Nguyen The Thao, a Communist official of Hanoi, Msgr. Parolin again reportedly raised the government's plans for turning over the nunciature, but did not receive a direct reply. The government official praised the “contribution offered by the Catholic community in the common cause for a society of peace, equality, progress, and development,” but failed to mention any concrete plan to solve the property dispute.