New Vietnam cardinal to face many challenges
Archbishop Pierre Nguyen Van Nhon’s appointment comes amid warming relations between Hanoi and the Holy See.
Archbishop Pierre Nguyen Van Nhon in a file photo |
Archbishop Pierre Nguyen Van Nhon’s appointment was announced on
Sunday together with that of Myanmar’s first ever cardinal, Archbishop
Charles Maung Bo. They were among 20 new cardinals from 18 countries
named by the Vatican and who will officially assume office on February
14.
Nhon, 76, said his selection as cardinal of Vietnam — where the
communist government claims to respect the freedom of belief and
religion, but religious activity remains under state control — came amid
warming relations between Hanoi and the Holy See.
But he said the Catholic Church “still has a lot to do” for its
estimated six million followers in Vietnam, who make up the second
largest religious group after Buddhists among the country’s 92.5 million
people.
The Vatican and Hanoi have not had formal diplomatic relations
since Vietnam’s communist government took over in 1975, despite resuming
dialogue in 2007 with the establishment of a Joint Working Group.
“Based on visits exchanged between the two sides and especially the
presence of … the Vatican’s representative in Hanoi, we can see there
have been efforts to hold productive dialogue,” he said.
“Such dialogue requires patience and sincerity. I’ve seen obvious
efforts from the Vatican, as well as from the government [of Vietnam].
The direction looks positive, but the path is still long and we need
time.”
In September, officials from Vietnam and the Vatican held talks on prospects of restoring full diplomatic ties.
Nhon said that his recent experiences attending services around
Vietnam have led him to believe that Catholics are generally optimistic
about improving freedom of religion in the country.
“However, [the state of freedom of religion in Vietnam] depends on the locality and timing,” he said.
“During certain times, some issues may arise that don’t at others.
There may be problems in one place though not in others. However, in
general, I see positive signs.”
Nhon replaces Cardinal John Baptist Pham Minh Man, who retired in March last year at the age of 80.
“The work has been there always and now I will have to do it
better,” said Ngan, who was ordained as a priest in 1967 and named
Archbishop of the Hanoi Archdiocese in 2010.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Charles Maung Bo of Myanmar received a warm
welcome on Monday after his appointment as the first cardinal of the
predominantly Buddhist nation.
Only around one percent of the country’s 51 million people are Catholics.
Bo, 66, returned to his home in the commercial capital Yangon to
bouquets of flowers sent by well-wishers and congratulations from
friends and followers, the Associated Press reported.
Bishop Felix Lian Khen Thang, who heads the country’s Catholic
Bishop Conference, said Bo’s appointment was the crowning achievement of
the church’s work in Myanmar.
“It's time a Myanmar cardinal was selected because even Thailand,
which has fewer Catholics, has had a cardinal,” the AP quoted Reverend
Maurice Daniel, the conference’s general secretary, as saying.
Archbishop Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij of Thailand, which
is home to around half as many Catholics as Myanmar, was among the new
cardinals appointed over the weekend.
Bo, who was ordained as a priest in 1976, was nominated and installed as Archbishop of Yangon in 2003.
His appointment as cardinal comes amid growing religious
intolerance in Myanmar despite democratic reform introduced by President
Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government, which took power from the
military junta in 2011.
Violence targeting Muslims of the Rohingya ethnic minority by
members of the country’s Buddhist majority have left hundreds dead since
2012.
According to the Democratic Voice of Burma, Bo raised eyebrows in
his New Year’s Day address last year when he proposed granting
citizenship for members of the Rohingya Muslim community born inside the
country.
He has called for the protection of rights for all ethnicities and
religious faiths, and warned about the growing influence of extreme
Buddhist nationalism in Myanmar, adding that the government should bring
to justice those who incite discrimination and violence.
Source: Radio Free Asia
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