Catholics pray for unity in year ahead
Viet Nam News, March 24, 2003
HA NOI — Leaders of the Viet Nam Committee for Catholic Unity (VCCU) have gathered in Ha Noi to discuss the committee’s plans of action, with focus on contributions to the current patriotic emulation and the great national unity.
Speaking at a two-day conference, which wrapped up yesterday, the VCCU President, Priest Nguyen Tan Khoa, reviewed the committee’s past activities and outlined its plan of actions for the coming years.
"We will concentrate our efforts to side with people of other religions to strengthen the national unity and build the country," Khoa said.
He stressed that every Catholic should lead a good temporal and religious life, making active contributions to the socio-economic development and the improvement of the spiritual and material life.
Other speakers dealt with measures to promote the Catholic community’s patriotic movements and take part in labour emulation campaigns launched by the Viet Nam Fatherland Front.
The conference was addressed by the President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, Pham The Dzuyet, who lauded the VCCU’s considerable services to the national cause.
He praised the Catholics’ broad charity activities to help the poor and disadvantaged people, especially the lonely elderly and homeless children.
Dzuyet asked the Catholics to do more for the nation, especially their endeavours to mould a new lifestyle in residential areas and enhance grass-roots democracy.
"The Fatherland Front hopes that the VCCU will do its utmost to carry out policies of the Party and State on national unity, religion, and ethnic communities," he said. — VNS
