The nation still has four vacant dioceses of Ban Me Thuot, Ha Tinh, Nha Trang and Phat Diem
Bishop Dominic Dang Van Cau (center) blesses local faithful during his episcopal ordination in Thai Binh on Dec 31. (Photo: giaophanthaibinh.org)
Catholics from two dioceses in Vietnam expect their new bishops to unite all people and build local churches.
Emeritus Bishop Peter Nguyen Van De of Thai Binh ordained his successor Bishop Dominic Dang Van Cau at the square of Thai Binh Bishop’s House in Thai Binh City On Dec 31.
Some 30 archbishops and bishops across the country concelebrated the open-air ceremony joined by hundreds of priests and attended by thousands of people.
Archbishop Joseph Vu Van Thien of Hanoi said that local people were highly delighted to attend the first episcopal ordination since 1979 when the late Bishop Joseph Dinh Binh was ordained at the Thai Binh Cathedral.
Bishop Cau is the first prelate who is from the local church and is the seventh bishop of the 86-year-old diocese. Among his successors, two were from Spain and four were from other dioceses in Vietnam.
“It is really wonderful that the diocese with most of its members who are farmers and fishermen produces the first native prelate. This historic event shows that the local church has grown up,” Father Thomas Doan Xuan Thoa, pastor of Xuan Dong Parish, said.
Father Thoa, head of Nam Tien Hai deanery, said Bishop Cau has experienced hard times and well understood local people’s lifestyles so he is expected to set up practical pastoral initiatives for people in the two rural provinces of Thai Binh and Hung Yen.
He noted that the pastor and his sheep know full well and consequently they will work together to promote community solidarity to build up the local church.
Joseph Vu Ngoc Bien from Cat Dam Parish said he and the new bishop have been friends since they were children.
Bien, 68, said that the new bishop is friendly and kind and sings well so it is easy for him to meet other people, especially people in need. He should pay pastoral visits to remote small subparishes that need loving care from church leaders.
Anne Tran Thi Ngat said she and her son traveled 50 kilometers from her house in the Tien Hai district to the episcopal ceremony by motorbike in cold weather to attend.
“We are terribly proud of our new native bishop. We pray for him to be in good health and take great care of poor people in remote areas,” the 41-year-old mother of one said.
During his thanksgiving Mass at the Thai Binh Cathedral on the following day, Bishop Cau, whose episcopal motto was Ecce Venio (Behold, I come), admitted that serving the diocese as a prelate is an onerous burden.
The 60-year-old bishop called on all people to pray for him, cooperate with him, and support him in serving their beloved diocese.
Thai Binh Diocese has some 200 priests serving 136,000 Catholics.
On Jan 3, Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang of Ho Chi Minh City ordained Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Bui Cong Trac at the archdiocese’s Pastoral Center. Thousands of people attended the episcopal ordination.
The Church in Vietnam still has four vacant dioceses of Ban Me Thuot, Ha Tinh, Nha Trang and Phat Diem.
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