At the dissemination conference

The event saw the presence of Vice Chairman of the GCRA Nguyễn Tiến Trọng, Director of the provincial Home Affairs Department Hà Tiến Thăng, Priest Francis Assisi Nguyễn Tiến Tám, Vicar General of Thai Binh diocese, and over 180 Catholic dignitaries and leading personnel in the province.

Catholic participants at the event

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman Nguyễn Tiến Trọng highlighted the consistent policies of the Party and State which are to respect the freedom of belief and religion for people, create conditions for religious organizations to operate according to the Constitution and laws; to promote positive cultural and ethical values and resources of religion for the country’s development. The legal system on belief and religion has been continually improved, specifically the Law on Belief and Religion and its guiding documents, ensuring favorable conditions for religious followers and organizations, including Catholic organizations, dignitaries and parishioners, he added.

Vice Chairman Nguyễn Tiến Trọng speaks at the event

The Vice Chairman also shared that the relation between the Vietnam and Vatican has made significant progress, with the presence of the Holy See's Permanent Representative in Vietnam. Over the past years, the Catholic community has well observed the motto included in the 1980 Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam “Living the Gospel within the nation for the happiness of fellow Vietnamese", as well as teachings and messages from Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, which emphasized the principle that "A good Catholic is also a good citizen".

Vice Chairman Nguyễn Tiến Trọng also extended merry Christmas to participating priests and members of the pastoral council of parishes ahead of Christmas 2025.

The event covered contents of the Party and State's policies and guidelines on religion, provided update information on religious life and the state administration on religion, including Catholicism, the relationship between Vietnam and the Holy See, and key contents of the Letter of Pope Francis to the Catholic Church in Vietnam.

Director of the GCRA’s Catholicism Division Đào Thị Đượm speaks at the event

Besides, the conference also provided explanations of practical issues relating legal stipulations on Catholic practices in the locality.

Hương Huyền