CHURCH EVALUATES ITSELF IN VIETNAM

Catechism Planned; More Lay Involvement Urged

HANOI, Vietnam, (ZENIT.org).- Catholic families and youth are very active in Vietnam, but the clergy needs to be more dynamic, a bishop says.

Bishop Barthelemy Nguyen Son Lam of Thanh-hoa, secretary of the Vietnamese episcopal conference, was commenting to the Vatican agency Fides, on the bishops' recent pastoral letter entitled, "To Live, Witness, and Proclaim the Good News in the Life of Christians."

The bishop explained that in this Communist country of 78.7 million people, "families and youth are very active. They are not satisfied with pilgrimages, but are very generous with the needs of the poor." Catholics comprise about 7.9% of the population.

Among the urgent issues of the Church in Vietnam, Bishop Son Lam mentioned the renewal of the clergy's formation. "The clergy needs to be more dynamic in Vietnam and work more for the poor and youth," he said.

The laity, "must give stronger testimony of the Gospel in social life," he added. To contribute to this process, a small catechism is being prepared to make the Pope's postsynodal exhortation "Ecclesia in Asia" better known, the bishop said.

The pastoral letter is also an evaluation of the Jubilee Year. Among the most important initiatives taken this Holy Year, Bishop Son Lam mentioned two interreligious study meetings on ancestor worship and inculturation, which were attended by religious leaders, experts and other leaders of Vietnam.

This year the Church has intensified its works of charity. The bishops' conference established a permanent emergency fund to help victims of the frequent natural disasters.

Click here to share this news story with a friend.

Terms of Use    Privacy Policy