From April 13 to 16 the first meeting of 2015 and the Bishops' Conference was held in Ho Chi Minh City. Msgr. Girelli, non-resident papal representative was also present. The contribution of the local Church on migration and the family, in view of the special synod held in October.

Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews / EDA) – The opening of a theology school which, in time, could become the future Catholic institution of Vietnam; the cause of beatification of the first apostolic vicars of the North and South and the situation of migrants inside and outside the country: These were the themes that dominated  the first annual meeting  of the Vietnamese bishops’ Conference held April 13 to 16 in Ho Chi Minh City.

The archdiocese's pastoral center hosted the four days of work which was attended by 35 archbishops and bishops from 25 dioceses, the apostolic administrator of Vinh Long (vacant) and the non-resident papal representative in Vietnam, Mgr. Leopoldo Girelli.

The website of the Catholic Bishops' Conference released news of the themes and the progress of the work, telling daily meetings and activities at the center of the assembly, together with the debates.

Msgr. Girelli and the auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Xuan Loc Msgr. Joseph Dinh Duc Dao, who is also president of the Episcopal Commission for Education addressed the opening session. The prelate presented once again the project for the creation of a theological faculty that, in the near future, could become the leading Catholic Institute in Vietnam. It would be open to clergy, religious, and laity.

The bishop of Nha Trang spoke about the cause of beatification of the first two apostolic vicars, from North and South Vietnam, Msgr. Lambert de Lamotte and Msgr. François Pallu. The President of the Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants, Msgr. Joseph Nguyen Chi Linh, explained the situation with regard to internal and foreign migration. This is a priority issue for the prelates and the local Church, in the forefront of the struggle for the rights of citizens at home and in the countries of emigration.

The various committees also presented progress reports on various tasks and activities promoted in recent months; these include the contribution of the Vietnamese Church to the Synod of Bishops on the family, to be held in Rome next October.

Finally, the bishops discussed the territorial issue that involves the Diocese of Vinh, so far included in the ecclesiastical province of Hanoi. The prelates have forwarded to the Holy See the request for transfer in the ecclesiastical province of Hue, to better distribute the number of the faithful throughout the country.

Vietnam's 87 million people include 48 per cent Buddhists, more than 7 per cent Catholics, 5.6 per cent syncretistic and 20 per cent atheist. As a small, albeit significant minority, the Christian community is particularly active in education, health and social affairs.  Conversely, religious freedom has steadily eroded in recent years. Under Decree 92, more controls and restrictions have been imposed on religious practice, boosting the power of the Communist Party and the one-party state.

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