Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vũ Chiến Thắng hosted on February 1 a reception for visiting Archbishop Marek Zalewski, Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam.
At the reception
Accompanying the Archbishop were Bishop Joseph Đỗ Mạnh Hùng of Phan Thiet diocese cum General Secretary of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam (CBCV) and Priest Joseph Đào Nguyên Vũ, Chief of the CBCV’s Office.
Joining the event incluđe Director of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs Chu Tuấn Tú and Vice Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA) Nguyễn Tiến Trọng.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vũ Chiến Thắng and Archbishop Marek Zalewski
During the event, Deputy Minister Vũ Chiến Thắng congratulated Archbishop Marek Zalewski on his new position – the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam. He affirmed that the Archbishop has played important role in promoting the relation between Vatican and Vietnam for the past years.
The offical stressed that the upgrade of the bilateral relation not only demonstrates the sound foreign policy of the Vietnamese Party an State, but also reflects Vietnam’s recognition of the Vatican’s goodwill and positive guidance towards Vietnamese Catholics, practical contributions of the Vietnam Catholic Church to the country, and the Vietnamese Party an State’s due attention to religious practices of Catholic followers, encouraging them to join all-level authorities for community development in localities throughout the country.
The Deputy Minister expressed hope that Archbishop Marek Zalewski would continue colloborating with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the GCRA and other relevant agencies in preparations for upcoming visits of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Vatican in April to Vietnam 2024 and the Vatican Secretary of State, at the same time speeding up the visit of the Pope to the country.
On occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) 2024, Deputy Minister Vũ Chiến Thắng extended warm greetings and success to Archbishop Marek Zalewski, Bishop Joseph Đỗ Mạnh Hùng and Priest Đào Nguyên Vũ.
For his part, Archbishop Marek Zalewski took the chance to thank the Vietnamese Government, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the GCRA and other relevant agencies and the Deputy Minister for a long-term colloboration and dialogues aimed to upgrading the Vietnam and Vatican relation. He expressed hope that the Government and the Ministry of Home Affairs would continue creating favorable conditions for affairs of the Vietnam Catholic Church in general and the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam in particular.
Anh Khôi
