Bilateral relations between the Vatican and Vietnam will continue achieving important progress in the future, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Holy See, affirmed on Tuesday during his visit to the country.

Archbishop Gallagher made the comments at a meeting with Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son in Hanoi on Tuesday after his arrival on the same day for a six-day official visit.   

This is the first business trip to Vietnam by the Vatican’s diplomatic chief at the invitation of the Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam.

Gallagher extended his congratulations on Vietnam’s impressive development in socio-economic development and external relations over the past years.

He said he was glad to see the Vietnam Catholic Church growing and actively participating in social activities in Vietnam, especially during the COVID-19 period.

The archbishop voiced his belief that the Catholic community in Vietnam will make more contributions to the Southeast Asian nation's development.

He expressed hope that the foreign ministry, along with other Vietnamese agencies and local authorities, would continue to support and facilitate the activities of Archbishop Marek Zalewski, the first Resident Papal Representative of the Holy See in Vietnam, appointed by Pope Francis last year.

The Holy See’s top diplomat also expressed confidence that the relationship between the two sides would achieve important progress in the coming time.

Minister Son highly appreciated the positive advancements in Vietnam-Vatican relations in recent times.

He expressed confidence that Archbishop Gallagher's visit will contribute to further deepening the bilateral ties between the two sides.

The trip also presents an opportunity for the archbishop to witness Vietnam's dynamic development and the vibrant religious life of the Catholic community in the Southeast Asian country, remarked the minister.

Vietnam consistently adheres to the policy of respecting and ensuring freedom of belief and religion of every citizen, Son said, adding that religion is integral to great national unity and contributes to the country’s construction and development.

The Vietnamese government always creates favorable conditions for all religions, including Catholicism, to operate and develop according to the constitution and laws of Vietnam, the official told his guest. 

Son expressed his wish that the Vietnamese Catholic community would keep promoting good Catholic moral values in social life, actively participating in patriotic emulation movements and other social activities in such spheres as healthcare, education, vocational training, social security, hunger eradication, and poverty reduction.

In general, every Catholic should actively contribute to the development and prosperity of both the country and Vietnam Catholic Church in the spirit of ‘respecting God, loving the country,’ ‘accompanying the nation,’ and ‘good parishioners are good citizens,’ Son said.

The minister proposed that the two sides go on to effectively maintain high-level contacts and dialogue mechanisms, promoting the connecting role of the first Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam. 

Archbishop Gallagher concurred with his host that the two sides will strengthen cooperation through the Vietnam - Vatican Joint Working Group mechanism as well as at multilateral and international forums.

As scheduled for his trip, Gallagher will meet with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra and visit the archdioceses of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hue during his stay in Vietnam.

According to the ‘Religion and Religious Policy in Vietnam’ white paper, released by the Government Committee for Religious Affairs in March, Catholicism ranked second in terms of followers, boasting over seven million adherents, trailing behind Buddhism which counted more than 14 million followers, among the 16 recognized religions in Vietnam.

The white paper affirmed that all religions are treated equally under the law, with the state committed to non-discrimination based on beliefs or religion.

The document asserted that every citizen possesses the right to either embrace or abstain from any belief or religion.

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