Pope Benedict XVI has named Cardinal Ivan Dias, the prefect of the
Congregation for Evangelization, as his personal envoy to attend the
closing ceremonies of the Jubilee Year celebration for the Church in
Vietnam.
The Jubilee Year was declared in Vietnam to mark the 350th anniversary
of the establishment of two apostolic vicariates, and the 50th
anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam’s own Catholic hierarchy.
The celebration comes at a time when the Vietnamese hierarchy is in
conflict with the country’s government, which is seeking to exercise
greater restraint on the Church.
The establishment of “patriotic
Catholic” committees suggests that Vietnamese authorities may seek to
imitate the policies of China’s government, hoping to seize control of
Catholic affairs.
The closing ceremonies for the Jubilee Year will be held at the shrine of Our Lady of LaVang on January 4-6.
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