AMBASSADOR'S COURTESY CALL ON THE CARDINAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001256 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/RF DEPARTMENT PASS TO USCIRF ROME FOR EMBASSY VATICAN SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: NA TAGS: PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S COURTESY CALL ON THE CARDINAL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 01256 01 OF 02 170746Z REF: A. 01 HANOI 2517 B. 01 HANOI 2949 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN VIETNAM HAS SEEN A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, BUT IS SEEKING MORE, ACCORDING TO CARDINAL TUNG, ARCHBISHOP OF HANOI. THE GVN HAS MADE IT EASIER FOR THE CHURCH TO RECRUIT AND TRAIN NEW PRIESTS AND TRANSFER PRIESTS FROM PLACE TO PLACE, BUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH STILL NEEDS MANY MORE PRIESTS. SOME OF THE CHURCH'S CURRENT PROBLEMS ARE WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES, NOT NATIONAL. ACCORDING TO THE CARDINAL, THE GVN RECOGNIZED THAT RELIGION WAS A BASIC NEED OF THE PEOPLE AND THAT THERE WERE FEWER SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN AREAS WITH MANY RELIGIOUS BELIEVERS. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) THE AMBASSADOR, TOGETHER WITH DCM AND EMBOFFS, MADE HIS FIRST CALL ON PAUL JOSEPH CARDINAL PHAM DINH TUNG, ALSO ARCHBISHOP OF HANOI, AT THE ARCHBISHOP'S HOUSE IN HANOI ON MAY 15. (NOTE: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME CARDINAL TUNG HAS MET EMBOFFS SINCE OCTOBER 1, 2001 -- REF A -- APPARENTLY DUE TO HEALTH REASONS. END NOTE) WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING PROGRESS IN RECENT YEARS, THE CARDINAL SAID THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WANTS MANY MORE IMPROVEMENTS IN ITS SITUATION. WHILE THE CHURCH DESIRES MORE PRIESTS, CARDINAL TUNG HIGHLIGHTED THAT THERE ARE NOW ALMOST 3000 PRIESTS IN VIETNAM, WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS "A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE." THE CARDINAL ALSO STATED THAT IT IS NOW EASIER TO TRANSFER PRIESTS, EVEN BETWEEN REGIONS, AND THAT IT HAS BECOME EASIER TO RECRUIT SEMINARIANS. HOWEVER, THE CHURCH IS LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS ON ALL OF THESE ISSUES. MANY MORE PRIESTS ARE NEEDED, THE CARDINAL EMPHASIZED, AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WOULD LIKE TO BRING IN NEW SEMINARIANS EVERY YEAR, RATHER UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 01256 01 OF 02 170746Z THAN EVERY OTHER YEAR AS THE GVN CURRENTLY ALLOWS. (NOTE: OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS THE PACE OF SEMINARY ADMISSIONS HAS QUICKENED FROM ONCE IN FIVE YEARS, TO THREE YEARS, TO THE CURRENT TWO YEARS. END NOTE.) MORE PRIESTS ARE NEEDED NOT JUST TO SAY MASS, BUT ALSO TO CARRY OUT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND PUBLISH JOURNALS, AMONG OTHER DUTIES, THE CARDINAL ADDED. ¶3. (SBU) THE CARDINAL STATED THAT THE NUMBER OF CATHOLIC BELIEVERS HAS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, BUT THAT THE NUMBER WAS INCREASING MORE SLOWLY AMONG THE YOUTH. (NOTE: THE NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE CATHOLICS IS GENERALLY THOUGHT TO BE IN EXCESS OF SIX MILLION. END NOTE.) HE ATTRIBUTED THE INCREASE TO: MARRIAGE INTO THE CHURCH; INDIVIDUALS SEARCHING FOR "DIVINE TRUTH"; AND, FRIENDSHIP. THE ATTITUDE OF "INTELLECTUALS" TOWARDS THE CHURCH HAS ALSO IMPROVED, CARDINAL TUNG CLAIMED. THE CHURCH HAS BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT THE INCREASING NUMBER OF BELIEVERS THROUGH CATECHISM, HE SAID, AND ALSO BECAUSE THE GVN HAS ALLOWED THE CHURCH TO PRINT AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION MORE WIDELY. ¶4. (SBU) THE AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS ON RELIGION IN VIETNAM, BUT THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE GENERALLY ABLE TO WORSHIP FREELY, WITH PAGODAS, CHURCHES, AND TRADITIONAL TEMPLES FILLED WITH PEOPLE. THE CARDINAL REMARKED THAT THE VIETNAMESE ARE A SPIRITUAL PEOPLE, A CHARACTERISTIC THAT GIVES CATHOLICS CONFIDENCE TO SPREAD THEIR BELIEF. HE STATED THAT THE TRADITION OF PAYING RESPECT TO ONE'S ANCESTORS WAS IMPORTANT IN CREATING FAITH- BASED THINKING. IN RESPONSE TO THE AMBASSADOR'S QUESTION, UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 01256 01 OF 02 170746Z THE CARDINAL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ACCEPTED TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE FOLK PRACTICES SUCH AS PAYING RESPECT TO ANCESTORS. THE CHURCH ALSO HAS WORKING LEVEL CONTACTS WITH OTHER LEGALLY RECOGNIZED RELIGIONS, FOR INSTANCE COOPERATING WITH PROTESTANTS TO PRINT BIBLES. ¶5. (SBU) ACCORDING TO THE CARDINAL, THE GVN, OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, HAS DEVELOPED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHURCH'S POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON SOCIAL ISSUES. HE CITED THE CHURCH'S ROLE IN POVERTY AND HUNGER REDUCTION AS WELL AS FIGHTING SOCIAL VICES. HE SAID THAT GVN OFFICIALS HAD TOLD HIM THAT THEY HAD NOTICED LESS CRIME IN AREAS WITH MANY RELIGIOUS BELIEVERS. ¶6. (SBU) SOME OF THE REMAINING PROBLEMS THE CARDINAL BROUGHT UP ARE WITH SOME LOCAL, NOT NATIONAL, AUTHORITIES. IT IS EASIER FOR THE CHURCH TO CARRY OUT SOCIAL SERVICES IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM, HE NOTED. WHILE MANY WOMEN HAD BECOME NUNS IN RECENT YEARS, THEY FACED "PROBLEMS" IN OTHER PLACES, HE ADMITTED. (NOTE: BY LAW, PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN AUTHORIZE ENTRY INTO RELIGIOUS ORDERS. REF B DESCRIBES THE PROBLEMS OF WOULD-BE NUNS IN DANANG. END UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5635 PAGE 01 HANOI 01256 02 OF 02 170746Z ACTION EAP-00 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OPIC-01 PER-00 PRS-00 P-00 SP-00 SS-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /006W -------------- AFCF94 170746Z /38 R 170740Z MAY 02 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6494 INFO AMEMBASSY VATICAN AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI AMEMBASSY ROME UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HANOI 001256 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/RF DEPARTMENT PASS TO USCIRF ROME FOR EMBASSY VATICAN SENSITIVE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 01256 02 OF 02 170746Z NOTE.) ¶7. (SBU) REGARDING VATICAN RELATIONS, THE CARDINAL (WHO SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS IN ROME WITH SEVERAL OTHER VIETNAMESE BISHOPS EARLIER THIS YEAR) SAID THAT THE POPE TOLD THEM THAT MANY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S ISSUES IN VIETNAM WOULD BE SOLVED THROUGH "DIALOGUE." THE CARDINAL SAID THAT HE HAD APPLIED TO THE GVN FOR A PAPAL VISIT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO, BUT THE GVN HAD REPLIED THAT IT NEEDED MORE TIME "TO PREPARE PROPERLY FOR THE VISIT OF SUCH AN IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL FIGURE." THERE ARE STILL NO FORMAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE VATICAN AND THE GVN. (HIS AIDES SUBSEQUENTLY POINTED TO THE SITE OF THE ONE-TIME RESIDENCE OF THE PAPAL NUNCIO, ADJACENT TO THE ARCHBISHOP'S HOUSE; THE RESIDENCE HAS BEEN TORN DOWN, THE SITE EXPROPRIATED, AND PLANS DEVELOPED TO BUILD AN ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX, THEY CLAIMED.) BURGHARDT UNCLASSIFIED