The Holy See Press Office’s Director Fr. Federico Lombardi issued a statement today, confirming that the Vietnam-Holy See Joint Working Group will hold its next meeting on 13-14 June.
“As agreed at its third meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February 2012, the Vietnam - Holy See Joint Working Group will hold its fourth meeting in the Vatican on 13-14 June.
The meeting will serve to strengthen and develop bilateral relations between Vietnam and the Holy See," Fr. Lombardi said.
The Vietnamese Catholic Church is experiencing a period of growth. The country’s churches and cathedrals are packed with faithful who have responded enthusiastically to Francis’ message during last week’s simultaneous worldwide Eucharistic Adoration.
Bishop Joseph Dang Duc Ngan of the northern Vietnamese diocese of Lang Song, near the Chinese border, sent a pastoral letter to priests, religious and the entire Catholic community, asking them to take part in the hour-long prayer session in the local cathedral.
Given that many faithful live in mountainous and remote areas of the diocese, some priests decided to bring the Eucharistic Adoration time forward an hour, from 10 pm to 9 pm.