On January 11, Vice Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA) Dương Ngọc Tấn received a delegation from the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference, led by its Cardinal Chairman Reinhard Marx at the GCRA’s headquarters.
Welcoming the delegation also included representatives of the GCRA’s Departments of Catholic Affairs, International Relation, and Legislation and Inspection.
At the reception, Vice Chairman Dương Ngọc Tấn shared with the guests current religious situation in Vietnam as well as the guidelines and policies of the Party and State of Vietnam on belief and religion. According to the Vice Chairman, Vietnam is multi–religion country with about 95% of population practicing some forms of belief or religious life, and the country also has 39 recognized religious organizations belonging to 14 religions. The Vietnamese government always creates favorable conditions for religious organizations to apply for State recognition, he added.
He also stated that the Vietnamese Party and State highly appreciate contributions of religions in general and Catholicism in particular, in the cause of building and defending the country.
Regarding the drafting of law on belief and religion, Mr. Dương Ngọc Tấn stated that the drafting law has been developed based on the existing legislations on belief and religion, and it has been sent to Vietnamese people, including religious dignitaries and researchers for comments in order to create more favorable conditions for religious practices in Vietnam.
Cardinal Reinhard Marx thanked the GCRA for its welcome and information. He also expressed hope that the GCRA would continue creating favorable conditions for the development of Catholicism in Vietnam in particular and Vietnamese religious organizations in general.
TP
