Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Van Nung (R) and Archbishop Marek Zalewski at the meeting on November 28 (Photo: VNA) An Giang (VNA) - ArchbishopMarek Zalewski, the Holy See's Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore and the Vatican's non-resident Special Envoy to Vietnam,paid a courtesy visit to leaders of the southern province of An Giang on November28 on the occasion of his working trip to Long Xuyen diocese.
At the meeting,Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Van Nung said he believesthe relations between the Vietnamese Government and the Vatican and the VietnamCatholic Church in general and between An Giang authorities and the Long Xuyendiocese in particular, will further grow following the ArchbishopMarek Zalewski’s trip.
He affirmed theconsistent policy of the Vietnamese Party and State in general and An Giang inparticular, which respects and ensures the right to religious freedom of allpeople and equality among religions. He took note of the active contributionsof Catholic people to the cause of national construction.
According to theVice Chairman, An Giang is home to more than 1.8 million of followers of 11 State-recognisedreligions, including Buddhist Hoa Hao, Vietnamese Buddhism, Caodaism,Catholicism and Protestantism. Religions in the province have made greatcontributions to local development, he said.
The officialasked the Vatican’s special envoy to continue fostering the diplomaticrelationship between the Holy See, the Catholic Church and the VietnameseGovernment. He also proposed that the Vatican gives more support to the CatholicChurch in Vietnam and the Long Xuyen diocese.
ArchbishopMarek Zalewski thanked the Vietnamese government in general and An Giang administrationin particular for facilitating his first trip to An Giang. He said the vibrantCatholic life in Vietnam and An Giang is evidence of Vietnam’s policy ofrespect for freedom of belief and religion.
He pledgedto do his best to promote the ties between the Vatican and Vietnam, thushelping the Catholic community in Vietnam lead a good life and contribute tothe cause of national development./.
VNA
