Pope Leo XIV sends his condolences to the Church in Vietnam following the passing of Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Phạm Minh Mẫn, praising his life of service.
Relations between the two have been improving for more than a decade, with Cardinal Pietro Parolin playing an important role even before he was a cardinal.
Pope Leo sent a video message to a group of Vietnamese catechists, saying, "The Church rejoices in you and encourages you to walk with joy in this noble mission."
The meeting is the latest step in a process of rapprochement over recent years, including the appointment of a resident pontifical representative in Vietnam.
The US bishops announced Thursday, May 22, that Auxiliary Bishop Michael Pham is new bishop of San Diego. San Diego's see has been vacant since January.
Bishop Joseph Trần Văn Toản of Long Xuyen in Vietnam released a pastoral letter calling for the spread of hope during the month of May.
Francis Xavier Tru’o’ng Bǚu Diệp was a diocesan priest who was killed in hatred of the faith in the middle of the 20th century in Vietnam.
Pope Francis’ latest pilgrimage to Asia is significant in the context of his pontificate, which is particularly focused on this continent.
Fr. Benoît Thuân (1880-1933), a French missionary priest and founder of a Cistercian community in Vietnam, could soon be recognized as venerable by the Catholic Church.
Fr. Joseph Dinh Quang Hoan described a small but devout Catholic community where many young people discern "the religious path."
Although the Vatican has not confirmed the trip, local authorities and the Pope himself have mentioned him visiting several countries in Asia-Pacific.
Canonization causes have been introduced for French bishops Pierre Lambert de la Motte and François Pallu, who founded the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris.
With more than 7 million adherents today, Catholics make up about 7.4% of the total Vietnamese population.
Last year, Vietnam and the Vatican reached an agreement on the presence of a “pontifical resident representative,” named by Pope Francis last December 23, 2024.
Archbishop Marek Zalewski of Poland now officially has the title of Pontifical Resident Representative.
St. Andrew Dung-Lac's feast day is not only for him, but also for more than 100 martyrs who died for the faith in Vietnam.
While falling short of formal diplomatic relations, the agreement is a significant step forward.
