Tens of thousands of Catholics in Vinh Diocese, Vietnam, protested on the streets this weekend against local government persecution against the Con Cuong parish community. On Saturday morning, three armoured fighting vehicles were seen in front of the Bishop's Residence of Vinh. Large groups of security men also roamed the streets near churches.
However thousands of local Catholics had spent Saturday night walking for tens of kilometres on National Highway 1 enroute to one deanery.
Other roads were packed with thousands of motorbikes carrying Vatican flags from parishes, enroute to other deaneries. Scheduled services of ferries were cancelled by the authorities to prevent local parishioners to join the protests.
There was one incident where police and thugs disrupted the Mass but in general the Sunday protests at various deaneries went peacefully.
The Vinh diocese had sent a letter to all cardinals and bishops in Vietnam asking for spiritual support and solidarity from other dioceses.
It also called for national protests on Sunday to demand an end to the persecution that is, “ongoing by the local government,” and the immediate halt to the propaganda and defamation campaign against Catholics in the state media.
In the diocese of Vinh and particularly in the North West region of the Nghe An Province, people have been repeatedly persecuted for their faith. One of the worst attacks came on Sunday July 1, following a period of harassment against Catholics in the region.
On that day, the local government mobilised large groups of police, army, militiamen, and thugs to attack Catholic priests and parishioners. They seized the chapel of Con Coung, desecrated the Eucharist Host, and smashed a statue of the Virgin Mary.
News reports state that in early July a Christian woman suffered a fractured skull in a brutal attack on a congregation by a group of thugs believed to have been paid by the authorities. It is reported that the local authorities pay the assailants 25 dollars, “compensation,” for their, “work.”
This is believed to be a strategy used regularly against Christians in Vietnam; in one incident in February, a church leader was beaten unconscious by a gang of thugs.
Over the last 18 months the authorities in Nghe An province have deployed various tactics to try to stop Christians from attending services.
Believers have endured mounting threats and persecution; police and security agents have threatened them, they have had stones thrown at them, and some have been arrested.
But they have remained steadfast and continued to gather for services.