Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02VATICAN5803
2002-12-03 05:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:  

STRENGTHENING CATHOLICISM IN VIETNAM ONE BISHOP AT A TIME

Tags:  KIRF PHUM PREL VM VT 
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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)

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.

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PLAYING FOR THE LONG-TERM
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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.

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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

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2002VATICA05803 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL