On October 6th, 2014, at the Office 2 of Naval High Command (No. 1A Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh city), the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam (CBCV) presented 3 billion VND to the Naval High Command.
Joining the ceremony were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phạm Dũng, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs cum Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA), Rear Admiral Đinh Gia Thật, Political Commissar of the Vietnam People’s Navy, Bishop Nguyễn Văn Khảm of My Tho diocese, Deputy Secretary of the CBCV and other priests.
On behalf of the GCRA, Mr. Phạm Trung Thành, Deputy Director of Department of Catholic Affairs highly appreciated efforts of the CBCV in particular and Vietnam Catholic followers in general in providing spiritual and material support to Truong Sa island, including such activities as Catholic delegation visits to Truong Sa island in 2012, 2013 and the issuance of the message on the East Sea situation on May 10th, 2014 by Archbishop Bùi Văn Đọc, President of the CBCV …
On behalf of the CBCV, Bishop Nguyễn Văn Khảm handed over 3 billion VND to the Naval High Command of the Vietnam People’s Navy and expressed gratitude to efforts made by the soldiers and residents of Truong Sa island in safeguarding the country’s sea and island sovereignty. He also said that every Vietnamese citizen including Catholic followers have the responsibility to protect the national sovereignty over the country’s islands.
On behalf of the Navy Command, Rear Admiral Đinh Gia Thật received 3 billion VND from the CBCV and informed that the Navy Command will use this sum of money to implement a project or build a facility in Truong Sa island named as CBCV. He also pledged that Vietnam People’s Navy will determine to protect the island’s sovereignty, contributing to together with the whole people including Catholic followers protect the national sovereignty.
