(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 07.27.2023).- On the occasion of the visit by the President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, H.E. Vo Van Thuong to the Vatican on 27 July 2023, on the basis of the 10th Session of the Joint Working Group between Viet Nam and the Holy See on 31 March 2023 in the Vatican, and with the desire to continue advancing bilateral relations, the two sides officially announce that the Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Holy See concluded the “Agreement on the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Viet Nam”.
At the talks between President Vo Van Thuong and Pope Francis, and Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin respectively, the two sides expressed high appreciation for the noteworthy progress in the relations between Viet Nam and the Holy See, and the positive contributions by the Catholic community of Viet Nam thus far.
Both sides expressed their confidence that the Resident Papal Representative will fulfill the role and mandate given in the Agreement, provide support to the Vietnamese Catholic community in their undertakings in the spirit of the law and, always inspired by the Magisterium of the Church, to fulfill the vocation of “accompanying the nation” and to be ” good Catholics and good citizens”, and contribute to the development of the country, while the Representative will be a bridge to advance relations between Viet Nam and the Holy See.
