Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Jan. 2 (VNA) -- Religions in Viet Nam operate normally amid the nation for construction, affirmed many priests attending the freshly-opened congress of Vietnamese Catholics.

The Party and State always respect the people's freedom of belief, priests affirmed. "Viet Nam has many religions, all have been operating well," Priest Nguyen Tan Khoa, acting Chairman of the Viet Nam Committee for Catholic Solidarity said.

"We saw many newly built churches and major pagodas which were restored as well as Protestant and Caodaist churches nationwide. Major festive days such as Christmas and Buddha's Birthday were celebrated. Such religious festival as the La Vang draws the participation of hundreds of thousands of believers," Khoa added.

About Catholic church activities, he said, seminaries are allowed to train priests who will replace the elder ones. Relationship between the Vietnamese Government and Vatican has been fairly good. Therefore, new bishops are appointed in time to replace those who retired or passed away. Bible and religious teaching books are published largely. Nuns and monks are allowed to do their service.

"However, we should be aware of hostile forces' dark scheme to seperate religions from the nation, both in Viet Nam and abroad. Religions are also a gateway that the hostile forces use to sabbotage Viet Nam. We need to work out measures to eliminate evil elements," he stressed.

Priest Truong Ba Can from Ho Chi Minh City reiterated: "Catholics in localities have been participating in movements launched by the Viet Nam Committee for Catholic Solidarity. Many Catholic families participated in socio-economic growth, according to "Living gospel amidst the nation" direction.

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Ha Noi, Jan. 3 (VNA) -- Vietnamese Catholics ended their two-day congress, the fourth of its kind, in Ha Noi on Friday, with the approval of a resolution on their tasks for the next five-year period (2002-07).

The congress also appointed a Viet Nam Committee for Catholic Solidarity (fourth tenure) comprising 102 members, and its 20-member Presidium headed by priest Nguyen Tan Khoa, head of Tam Ky Church in central Quang Nam province. Priest Phan Khac Tu was also named deputy chairman and general secretary of the committee.

In its approved resolution, the congress called upon every Catholic to enhance the national unity tradition to take the patriotic movement of Vietnamese Catholics to a new height in accordance with the principle of "adhering to the Gospel while living in the nation" and striving for "a good secular and religious life".

"This would help promote national industrialisation and modernisation for the goal of a prosperous people, a strong country and an equitable and civilised society," the resolution said.

It added "Vietnamese Catholics would work together with the world people to strive for peace, democracy and social progress, thus help strengthen the close relationship between the Church and the nation in the new situation."

The congress also passed a letter calling on Vietnamese Catholics across the country to play an active role in national development and take an active part on national programmes and local movements at their communities.

"We should learn that the Viet Nam Committee for Catholic Solidarity is a social organisation symbolising the patriotic movements of Vietnamese Catholics," the letter said, stressing "Through its activities, the committee has affirmed its role in "Living the Gospel amidst the nation" in service of the nation's happiness in line with the Joint Letter of the Episcopal Council of the Viet Nam Catholic Church in 1980.