STRENGTHENING CATHOLICISM IN VIETNAM ONE BISHOP AT A TIME

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 005803 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI),EAP/BCLTV (JESS),DRL/IRF E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2012 TAGS: KIRF PHUM PREL VM PHUM PREL VM VT VTKIRF SUBJECT: STRENGTHENING CATHOLICISM IN VIETNAM ONE BISHOP AT A TIME CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON, REASON EO 12958 (B, D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: ALTHOUGH THE COLD WAR IS OVER FOR MOST, THE HOLY SEE CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE AGAINST COMMUNIST REGIMES IN ASIA. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S ABILITY TO MANAGE ITS AFFAIRS WITHOUT INTERFERENCE IS CURRENTLY BETTER IN VIETNAM THAN IN CHINA, BUT THE HOLY SEE IS WORKING IN VIETNAM TO ADVANCE ITS FREEDOM TO OPERATE ONE STEP AT A TIME. ACCORDING TO HOLY SEE EAST ASIA AFFAIRS DIRECTOR MONSIGNOR CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 05803 01 OF 02 030646Z LUIS MONTEMAYOR, THE HOLY SEE IS BATTING ABOUT .500 DURING ITS ANNUAL MEETINGS WITH THE GOV ON CHURCH ISSUES IN VIETNAM. HOLY SEE DFM MIGLIORE IN AN OCTOBER 10-16 VISIT TO VIETNAM REACHED AGREEMENT ON APPOINTMENT OF SOME BISHOPS AND APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATORS, BUT FAILED IN OTHERS. THE KEY ISSUE OF WHO WILL REPLACE CARDINAL PHAM DIHN TUNG REMAINS TO BE RESOLVED. OTHER ISSUES CURRENTLY OF CONCERN TO THE HOLY SEE ARE THE OPPRESSION OF THE MONTAGNARDS AND THE IMPRISONMENT OF OUTSPOKEN POLITICAL ACTIVIST FATHER VAN LEE -- WHOM THE HOLY SEE VIEWS AS A VICTIM OF POLITICAL, NOT RELIGIOUS, OPPRESSION. END SUMMARY. -------------- PLAYING FOR THE LONG-TERM -------------- ¶2. (C) AS BEFITS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF AN ENTITY WITH OVER 2000 YEARS OF HISTORY BEHIND IT, HOLY SEE S/E ASIA COUNTRY DIRECTOR MSGR. LUIS MONTEMAYOR WAS CONFIDENT THAT EVENTUALLY THE HOLY SEE WOULD SUCCEED IN PRYING OPEN THE DOORS TO FULL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN VIETNAM. "WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME", HE NOTED. THE HOLY SEE UNDERSTANDS THAT PROGRESS COMES SLOWLY WHEN DEALING WITH A COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT. CONSEQUENTLY, IT ACCEPTS THAT, AS IT SEEKS TO SHUFFLE THE DECK ON APPOINTMENTS, IT IS LIKELY TO RECEIVE APPROVAL FOR ONLY SOME OF ITS REQUESTS OF THE GOV FOR FREEDOM TO ADMINISTER THE CHURCH. ACCORDING TO MONTEMAYOR, THE HOLY SEE IS SEEKING TO MOVE CLERGY FROM THE MORE "COMPLIANT" 15 SOUTHERN DIOCESES CLOSELY LINKED TO ROME TO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE MORE "ALIENATED" CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 05803 01 OF 02 030646Z 10 DIOCESES IN THE NORTH. OVER THE LONG RUN THE HOLY SEE HOPES TO ENSURE BROADER ACCEPTANCE OF ROME'S CENTRAL ROLE IN CHURCH AFFAIRS IN VIETNAM. ¶3. (C) A KEY BAROMETER OF GOV FLEXIBILITY IS ITS ACCEPTANCE OF VATICAN APPOINTEES TO BISHOPS' SEATS. DURING THE OCTOBER VISIT TO VIETNAM BY VATICAN DFM CELESTINO MIGLIORE, THE VATICAN OBTAINED GOV AGREEMENT TO APPOINTING REV. JOSEPH VU VAN THIEM AS THE NEW BISHOP IN HAI PHONG, A COADJUTOR BISHOP IN CAN THO AND A SUCCESSOR TO THE BISHOP OF KONTUM. THE GOV REJECTED THE HOLY SEE'S CANDIDATES FOR THE POST OF COADJUTOR OF HANOI AND THE BISHOP TO HUNG HOA AS WELL AS THE REQUEST TO DIVIDE THE PROVINCE OF XUAN LOC INTO TWO APOSTOLIC TERRITORIES. ALTHOUGH THE HOLY SEE AND GOV HAVE AGREED ON AN APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE DIOCESE OF HANOI, THE ISSUE OF NAMING A REPLACEMENT FOR 83-YEAR-OLD CARDINAL TUNG REMAINS UNSETTLED (NOTE: TUNG IS CONTINUING IN HIS SEE BECAUSE THE HOLY SEE DID NOT HAVE GOV SUPPORT FOR THE REPLACEMENT THEY DESIRED). ACCORDING TO MONTEMAYOR, CARDINAL TUNG AND THE HOLY SEE REMAIN AT ODDS OVER HIS REPLACEMENT, AND THE HOLY SEE BELIEVES THE GOV IS BLOCKING THEIR CANDIDATE PER TUNG,S REQUEST. THE GOV HAS ASKED FOR A LIST OF THREE CANDIDATES FROM WHICH TO CHOOSE, BUT THE HOLY SEE WILL ONLY SUBMIT ITS ONE CHOICE. SHOULD CARDINAL TUNG DIE BEFORE AN AGREEMENT IS REACHED, THE HOLY SEE WILL LEAVE THE SEAT VACANT AND LET THE GOV EXPLAIN TO THE WORLD WHY IT IS BLOCKING THE HOLY SEE'S RIGHT TO CHOSE HIS SUCCESSOR. -------------- -- CENTRAL GOVERNMENT'S INABILITY TO CONTROL LOCAL PERSECUTION CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 VATICA 05803 01 OF 02 030646Z -------------- --- ¶4. (C) MSGR. NGUYEN VAN PHUONG, WHO ACCOMPANIED DFM MIGLIORE, TOLD US THAT THE GOV ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIVING WRITTEN ACCOUNTS OF PERSECUTION OF CENTRAL HIGHLAND CATHOLICS FROM THE VIETNAMESE BISHOPS' CONFERENCE. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE GOV WAS AWARE THAT LOCAL AUTHORITIES WERE HARASSING CHRISTIANS, "THE RELIGION OF FOREIGNERS," AND FORCING THEM TO SIGN STATEMENTS REJECTING CHRISTIANITY. THE GOV HAD APOLOGIZED FOR THIS BEHAVIOR AND PROMISED A RESPONSE. TO DATE, SOME 300-PLUS FAMILIES HAVE SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES. -------------- -------------- DISTINGUISHING RELIGIOUS FROM POLITICAL OPPRESSION CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ9027 PAGE 01 VATICA 05803 02 OF 02 030646Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 EAP-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 SS-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W -------------- 11BE9A 030647Z /38 P 030513Z DEC 02 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY INFO AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY MANILA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH PRIORITY AMEMBASSY RANGOON PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 005803 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI),EAP/BCLTV (JESS),DRL/IRF E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2012 TAGS: KIRF PHUM PREL VM PHUM PREL VM VT VTKIRF SUBJECT: STRENGTHENING CATHOLICISM IN VIETNAM ONE BISHOP AT A TIME -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) THE HOLY SEE IS A STAUNCH PROPONENT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, AND SEEKS TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY, SAID FATHER NGUYEN. FOR EXAMPLE, THE HOLY SEE RECOGNIZED THAT THE RECENT IMPRISONMENT OF A LOCAL CATHOLIC PRIEST IN VIETNAM WAS A POLITICAL ACTION BASED ON HIS OUTSPOKEN POSITION ON GOV POLICIES RATHER THAN A SUPPRESSION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. THE IMPRISONED FATHER VAN LEE HAD SPOKEN AGAINST THE GOV POSITION DURING A TRADE TREATY DISPUTE WITH THE U.S. THE HOLY SEE, CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 05803 02 OF 02 030646Z WHILE HARDLY APPROVING OF THE PRIEST'S IMPRISONMENT, WILL NOT CONDEMN IT AS A SUPPRESSION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. THEY ARE CAREFUL NOT TO PLAY THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM CARD TOO OFTEN, IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THEIR EQUITIES FOR TRULY EGREGIOUS VIOLATIONS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (U) THE HOLY SEE REMAINS INTERESTED IN ESTABLISHING OFFICIAL RELATIONS WITH GOV. CURRENTLY, THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION ARE LIMITED TO THE ANNUAL HOLY SEE DELEGATION VISIT AND THROUGH THE GOV EMBASSY TO ITALY. WHILE THE HOLY SEE GENERALLY PUT A POSITIVE SPIN ON THE PROGRESS WITH THE GOV THIS YEAR, MIGLIORE HAD COMPLAINED BEFORE HIS TRIP THAT THEY WERE "TIRED" OF THE 50 PERCENT APPROACH BY THE GOV. THE HOLY SEE APPRECIATES THE DEPARTMENT'S FREEDOM OF RELIGION REPORT, WHICH THEY BELIEVE STRENGTHENS THEIR ABILITY TO CONTINUE PRESSING THE GOV FOR GREATER RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. NICHOLSON CONFIDENTIAL > 2002VATICA05803 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL