STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE CHURCH OF VIETNAM WHICH

ROOTED IN THE FAMILY TRADITION

Introduction

The Risen Christ entrusted the Church with the task of proclaiming the Good News to all

nations (Mk 16:15). It is a call, and yet a command for those who are baptized. Meaning to say, it

is an obligation for all the laity, religious, and clergy who exercise the obligation within the world.

Thus, the main mission for the baptized is to be witness of the Lord. Therefore, the whole question

of being witness is always about the credibility of the Church. In this sense, the Church may be an

instrument of God’s salvation as the fulfillment of mission or an obstacle to God’s saving power.

In order to fulfill the mission in the World, the Church has tried her best to reflect on both her

function and being. With guidance and action of the Holy Spirit, the Church came out with several

documents, especially with Vatican Council II, in order to set a light for the people of God. Indeed,

it is a big challenge for local churches to implement the spirit of the Council in their own country.

It is simply because there are different strengths and weaknesses in each particular Church

according to their own circumstances.

In this paper, through the study of documents of Conference of Bishop of Vietnam, the

researcher would like to present why the Church of Vietnam identified herself as the family of

God and what are the strengths and weaknesses of the Church of Vietnam which is grounded in

the traditional family and village orientation. However, one cannot understand well the documents

if she or he does not go back to the history of the Church to find out why the Church emphasized

some important elements or identified herself as the Family of God. Therefore, the context in

which the Church has laid its foundation serves as the first part of the paper. Besides, it helped the

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 1

Church of Vietnam understand why it has those specific strengths and weaknesses in the second

part. Finally, it seems not complete if someone stops at the question of identity through images of

the Church but does not go further in searching how the Church of Vietnam implements the

Vatican Council II or how She makes use of her strengths and overcomes her weaknesses. For the

scope and limitation of the paper, the researcher would like to concentrate on some important

factors regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the Church of Vietnam which are related to the

family and village tradition only.

The Foundation of the Church and the Context of Vietnam

As the growth of a child somehow depends on circumstances or background in which a

child is born and grows up in, even during the pregnancy. In the same way, the context of the world

and of Vietnam in which the Church of Vietnam was born influenced a lot the Church throughout

history.

The Birth of the Church of Vietnam

In comparison with other religions, the Catholic Church of Vietnam is quite young. It just

appeared in Vietnam about 1530 AD by the European Catholic missionaries such as Portuguese,

Spanish, and French. The Catholic Church began, took root and blossomed in faith much later,

from the time of Aleixandre de Rhodes (1593-1660), a Jesuit missionary who made a great

contribution by composing the Vietnamese national script.1 Remarkably in 1659, Pope Alexander

VII established two Apostolic Administrators in Vietnam taken from foreign missions of Paris.

This event marked the existence of two dioceses in Vietnam: one in the North and the other in the

1
Scott W. Sunquirst, et al., eds., A Dictionary of Asian Christianity (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing, Company, 2001), 876.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 2

South, and was the birth of the Catholic Church in Vietnam.2 From now on, the Catholic Church

of Vietnam had to stand on her own feet in every circumstance or context it might be in.

The Context in which the Church of Vietnam Laid its Foundation

For the Mother Church, 17th century is considered as a “nightmare” of the Church. For the

Church had to face the schism due to counter-reformation and corruption within the Church.

Especially during that period the Church had three popes. This phenomenon urged the Church to

discipline her people in both belief and practice. Particularly, in order to respond to the counter-

reformation in which Luther just focused on the invisible Church, the Catholic Church focused on

the visible Church on the contrary. Meaning to say, the Church emphasized the role of hierarchy

of the Church and expression in her celebration and activities. Indeed, the more simplistic the

protestant was in its structures or buildings and celebration, the more solemn and magnificent the

Catholic was in its own. Besides, the Catholic Church attempted to correct and yet affirmed some

doctrines which were opposed or argued against by the Protestants. That’s why she became stricter

in her teaching and worshiping.

These two responses of the counter-reformation have significantly affected the Church of

Vietnam, even consequently bringing much suffering to the Church later on. As a matter of fact,

the Church of Vietnam was been blamed as a traitor. For missionaries came with purity of their

religious motivation, but under support and protection of European merchants and militants, one

of whose became an invader later on. Moreover, for the fear of heresy, missionaries considered

many cultural values as superstitions. Veneration of ancestors is a concrete example. Therefore,

2
Peter Phan, In Our Own Tongues: Perspectives from Asia on Mission and Inculturation (Maryknoll, New York:
orbis Book, 2003), 160.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 3

Catholics were considered as people who followed the false religion. 3 Such kinds of crime,

Catholics deserve punishment of death. It is possible to say that the Church of Vietnam was

established on the blood of martyrs. Almost 261 years ago (1625-1886), there were more than

300,000 Catholics who died for their faith as martyrs. And 117 martyrs were recognized by the

Church as saints. The Church of Vietnam is still persecuted even today. Therefore, the suitable

image to describe the Church of Vietnam is a persecuted Church or a persecuted Family of God.

Other influences would be discussed further in the Strengths and Weaknesses part.

In the context of Vietnam, the Catholic Church was born in the midst of rich cultural aspects

and of many ancient religions. For Marcel Minh, Vietnamese culture, which is basically

agricultural and is linked organically with nature, appreciates living in good relationship with

nature. Especially, harmony is an essential discipline for healthy relationships and functions of the

family and community. Vietnamese people believe strongly in nature, family, and community.

Therefore, the structure of family and community life is relatively firm; people maintain a strong

consciousness of belonging to a common community with mutual obligation. Togetherness is

highly valued by Vietnamese.4

Religion has become a very essential part in the life of the Vietnamese. The earliest worship

that Vietnamese had was Animism. In this worship, people show their beliefs in the nature which

is filled with spirits, such as: animals, rivers, seas, mountains, soil, fire, trees and so forth. 5

However, a most popular devotion is Ancestor Worship. For most Vietnamese people, the

ancestors continue to be a part of the family. Therefore, this worship is an act of honor and respect

3
Marcel Doan Minh, “Christian Faith and Culture in Vietnam” (East Asian Pastoral Review 43, 2006, 1), 65.
4
Marcel Doan Minh, “Christian Faith and Culture in Vietnam”., 61.
5
Peter Phan, Vietnamese-American Catholics (Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 2005), 35-38.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 4

for the ancestors who give birth and who provided the needs for existence of the younger

generations. Therefore, to venerate them and reserve a special place in the family is considered as

a true religion for Vietnamese. Besides, they also believe that their decayed ancestors still live

among them. Obviously, this belief has deeply influenced the daily life of Vietnamese people.

Both kinds of worship are considered as native religions of the Vietnamese.6

Vietnamese has three religions: Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism exert strong and

great influence on the belief and the life of the Vietnamese people from generation to generation.

They are deeply at the roots of Vietnamese thinking, behavior, customs, culture, and politics—

especially Confucianism, which came to Vietnam around the first century. This religion taught

people about duty, courtesy, virtue, and religious philosophy. 7 Confucianism emphasizes

obligations and duties to build a political and family system with strong harmonious relationships.

Particularly, one must consider all people around the world as his or her brothers and sisters. The

king of a nation, a teacher in a school, and the father in the family are three protagonists for

maintaining the stability and security of society. Therefore, they are paid with highest respect and

honor. On the other hand, this religion also values highly human virtues such as benevolence,

justice, ritual, intelligence, and faith as if one could not be a true man without one of the five.8 In

addition, this religion is very close to the native belief. Thus, it was easy and quickly adapted by

Vietnamese people. In short, both native and foreign religions have something to deal with God,

the Most High Being, who is the imminent cause, the owner of life and death of all people on the

earth. In this sense, heaven is both powerful and merciful. Thus, people can ask help from heaven

6
Peter Phan, Vietnamese-American Catholics., 51-55.
7
Tran Ngoc Them, Tim Ve Ban Sac Van Hoa Viet Nam [Discovery of the Identity of Vietnamese Culture], 2 nd ed.,
(Ho Chi Minh City: Ho Chi Minh City Pusplishing House, 1997), 515-526.
8
Marcel Doan Minh, “Christian Faith and Culture in Vietnam”., 62.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 5

when they are suffering in life. However, heaven is also a just God, who would punish evildoers

and reward those who do good.9 Clearly, those characteristics of both culture and religion truly

form the Vietnamese personality. This is very significant for existence and development of the

Church of Vietnam. For the Church of Vietnam uses it as foundation to build the Church by finding

whatever good is in people’s hearts and minds, or in the rites and customs of people and purifies,

raises up and perfects it for the glory of God (LG. #17). The Church of Vietnam would lose her

effectiveness in her mission if she did not employ the family and village-oriented traditions.

The Church Of Vietnam as the Family of God

Among images of the Church such as the People of God, the Mysterious Body of Christ,

the Sacrament of Christ and so on, the Church of Vietnam chose the Family of God to describe

herself. For the Church has seen and witnessed the beauty in such image. Perhaps, the image, first,

is very close to people in their specific culture, tradition, custom, behaviors, and even thinking.

Thus, the Church can employ it in her evangelization.

As a family, God is the Father, Jesus Christ as the First Born, the Eldest of all brothers and

sisters, the Holy Spirit as Love to unite all members together, and the faithful as other members,

brothers and sisters in the Family of God. This image expresses the Church of Vietnam as the

united and loving community in which everyone is called to solidarity and share with one another

their mission and life. In this sense, the Church attempts her best to focus more on internal Church

but not external Church. At the same time, the Church invites her priests and people to implement

9
Marcel Doan Minh, “Christian Faith and Culture in Vietnam”., 61.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 6

this spirit to build up their parish as a family of families.10 And of course, the food to nourish a

family is the Word of God and the sacraments.

In this image, the Church of Vietnam tries to highlight the unity and communion in the

Family of God. For the Church of Vietnam perceives that the problem of unity and communion is

a root of all other problems. Therefore, the Church calls and invites everyone to build up and enter

into that relationship. The unity and communion are determined in relation to God as the source

of unity and communion through sacraments, to the Universal Church, Asian Churches, a diocese,

the pope, bishops, priests, and to every member of the Church.11 Therefore, family is a starting

point for the Church of Vietnam to fulfill the command of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the Church

considers family as the foundation of the Church and society. If this foundation is reinforced, the

Church and society will stand firmly and develop much.12 However, everything always exists with

two possibilities: good and bad, negative positive, strengths and weaknesses. Meaning to say, the

Church as the Family of God would bring a lot of benefits to the Church and yet problems at the

same time.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Church of Vietnam as the Family of God

Strengths

Particularly, the Church and church men may be highly honored and respected by people.

For Vietnamese Catholics considers the Church and churchmen as three spiritual protagonists.

Accordingly, people would seemingly obey the Church and her teaching absolutely. Why? It is

10
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2011: Cung Nhau Boi Dap Nen Van Minh Tinh Thuong va Su Song [Building together
the Culture of love and life] (Ho Chi Minh City: CBCV, 2011), N o. 10.
11
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2011.,No. 21- 23.
12
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2008: Moi truong Giao Duc Gia Dinh Kito Giao [Pastoral Letter 2008: Regarding
Catholic Family Education] (Hanoi: CBCV, 2008), no. 3.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 7

because obedience is a matter of identity and of life and death for the Vietnamese according to

their tradition.

Indeed, the Vietnamese have a strong family and village-centered sense of identity. For

them, the most shameful and heaviest punishment is exclusion from a family or a village. This

kind of punishment is meted out when a member harms the honor or reputation of his/her family

or village. A Vietnamese would pay any price, even death, to keep the honor of the family and

village. In this sense, value of faithfulness is emphasized very much. This somehow explains why

the Church of Vietnam has many martyrs and vocations even very few Catholics in percentage.

Besides, Vietnamese appreciate much the value of harmony among members in the family,

especially honor and respect for parents and elders are highlighted in the life of family. For honor

here does not only mean respect, concern, or care for parents and elders, but mostly absolute

obedience. Obedience for the youth is like salt for fish; fish will spoil without salt. Moreover,

disobedience of a child is shameful for the whole family. This mentality of Vietnamese people

creates a great advantage and opportunity for the Catholic Church of Vietnam to transmit or teach

the Catholic faith, to evangelize, govern, discipline, organize the Church and her activities. For the

Vietnamese Catholic Church considers herself as a son of the Mother Church and of Holy Father.

Evidently, the terms “Mother Church” (indicated to Roman Church) and “Holy Father” (referring

to the Roman Pope) are used mostly in the documents of the Church of Vietnam. It is possible to

say that the Church of Vietnam is very obedient and faithful to the Roman Church and her teaching.

In fact, it seems that there is no Vietnamese Catholic theologian or bishop in Vietnam to write or

to speak something against the Pope or Church in the history of the Church of Vietnam. Moreover,

following the order of hierarchy of the Church, a person in the lower level considers a person in

higher level as spiritual leader, teacher, and father. Particularly, a parishioner considers his or her

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 8

parish priest as such three positions as well as a priest to a bishop, and a bishop to an archbishop

(a Cardinal), an archbishop to a pope.13 True honor and respect is reserved for hierarchy only when

they live out their identity. Otherwise, they have to receive back the opposite attitude from people.

This somehow reminds priests and the religious people of their witness and holiness.

This may seem extreme and outmoded for people nowadays. But it somehow explains how

the Christian faith in Vietnam has been transmitted and has withstood centuries of trial. When

missionaries came and won the hearts of our parents and elders, a whole family or village was

converted to Christianity. If only one family converted, then that family would move to a village

that already had a Christian community. This shows us how important a sense of community is for

Vietnamese. It is expressed in our motto of life or in proverbs: “if one horse gets sick, other horses

in the flock skip or give up their meal (grass)” or “less torn pieces of leaves protect and cover

tattered leaves”.

Therefore, living together in a predominantly Catholic community helped families and

individuals preserve and practice the faith. The life of Vietnamese is attached to agriculture and

the countryside in which it seems every social, economic, cultural, and religious activity takes

place in a village. In a parish, teaching of catechism, charity works, worship activities are therefore

easily organized. Besides, this phenomenon creates an opportunity for Vietnamese Catholics to

meet and share with one another in various fields. In the same way, members in a family have a

chance to be present together in those activities. This closeness, therefore, offers people an
14
opportunity to remind and encourage one another to live faith effectively. For example,

neighbors or parents or other members of the family would question those who did not receive the

13
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2011., No. 21.
14
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2008., 11.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 9

sacraments regularly. This somehow explains why most Vietnamese Catholics are still faithful

attending mass on Sundays, even daily masses, and they attend catechism classes.15

Every Catholic Vietnamese requires catechism class for the Christian initiation until

graduation of marriage class. The catechism system is like civil education system. There, students

undergo all kinds of tests and exams. Accompanying with catechism class, family is the first school

of faith for a student.16 Meaning to say, the family cooperates or works hand in hand with the

Church in faith education.

Moreover, the traditional religions somehow help Vietnamese people in their relationship

with God. For through religious tradition, believing in God is deeply rooted in the heart of

Vietnamese people. Hence, this religious tradition is also a foundation for Vietnamese to live out

their faith such as appreciation of nature and life, love of righteousness and harmony. Indeed, a

Vietnamese Catholic faith is very much rooted in the family and village traditions, which are the

grace of God for Vietnamese Catholics; yet, they are also great challenges for Catholic Vietnamese

as well as for the Church of Vietnam.

Weaknesses or Challenges

The foremost challenge for the Catholic Church of Vietnam is how to inculturate, dialogue

with the culture, and how to preserve and promote the family and village orientation traditions in

the context of today.

15
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2012: Nam Duc Tin [Pastoral Letter 2012: Regarding the Year of Faith] (Thanh Hoa:
CBCV, 2008), 5.
16
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2012: Nam Duc Tin., 9.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 10

 Indeed, with the development of economic globalization, Vietnamese encounter a lot of

changes both in a positive and negative sense. In fact, the beautiful family and village traditional

orientation is threatened. Many youth have left their families and villages for various reasons like

employment or education or immigration both domestic and abroad. They are somehow liberated

and no longer feel bound by the tradition of the family and the village. Moreover, they are easily

influenced by foreign cultures, especially the West. Our traditional values are rapidly being

replaced by consumerism. This brings forth a lot of social issues. Many families become hotels

instead of loving homes. Many elderly people are abandoned by their own children. Violence in

families happens more frequently, especially with women who are still considered as secondary or

subordinate to men. The issue of abortion reaches its climax and so forth. In short, the moral values

have seriously declined.17 Even among the religious, consumerist attitudes undermine the vow of

simplicity.

The need to reinvigorate traditional values is more urgent than ever. Otherwise, the Church

of Vietnam will be eaten up not only by the consumerism of the young but also that of the older

Catholics. The Church of Vietnam is facing the problem of “traditional consumers.” These are

people who abuse traditional privileges of being respected and obeyed as a “king” by the people.

They often deal with people with local narrow-mindedness and dictatorship.18 Their lives and

words are far different and their hearts very distant from that of ordinary people, especially the

poor. Consumerists—both young and old—are people who only care about their wants and are

thus numb to the needs of the others. They do not hear others. They do not know how to listen.

And by failing to listen, they fail to love because listening is an act of love. Thus, the task for the

17
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2008.,No. 10.
18
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2011.,No. 7.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 11

Church of Vietnam today is listening—promoting a culture of sensitivity and empathy and building

a milieu of listening. In order to imitate the saints and hold fast to our faith today, the Vietnamese

Church must learn how to listen well. Otherwise, the Church will become “an earthen vessel”

without content of faith as Saint Paul describes in the second letter to Corinthians (2Cor. 4:1-12).

Worse, it would create the culture of discrimination and of command.

In fact, the role of women in the Church of Vietnam is still minimal. There is still strong

sense of women as secondary in the Church.19 Evidently, it is scandalous for a great majority of

people and the Church if girls serve on the altar, speak in the Church or women who are leaders

of parishes. In addition, it is a dream for a nun to give a talk to priests on a retreat or something

related to theology and the like. Surprisingly, women or nuns never complain or protest about their

rights. The very reason is that they are deeply influenced by their culture and tradition. Being a

wife, a girl, a nun, she must submit herself absolutely to her husband, brothers, priests or bishops

without consideration of her right. This mentality is not only maintained in the women’s mind but

also in the hierarchy’s mind.

Consequently, it leads to a kind of uniform Church. It is uniform because the Church of

Vietnam loves to apply all things that come from Mother Church without considering the diversity

of context. It happens the same to a diocese and parish level accordingly. That’s why it is not so

surprising when one sees churches in Vietnam as similar the western churches, such as: the

structure, design, rites in celebration, even lifestyle of priests. In the same way, the Church of

Vietnam tends to the untramontanism.

19
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 1998: Huong Ve Nam Thanh 2000[Pastoral Letter 1998: Looking Forward to The Holy
Year, 2000] (Hanoi City: CBCV, 1998), 8

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 12

 For the setting of culture and tradition put up the parish priest, bishop, and pope power to

secure the faith as if whatever they say, act, and think are absolutely right and correct. Therefore,

people depend on them, wait for their commands but never question regarding the matter. Hence,

it is possible to conclude that the Church of Vietnam and Catholic faith of Vietnamese are passive.

Worse, based on the Family Model, the Church is more pyramidal than circular; especially, when

clergy literally applies unto itself the principle “acting in persons Christi” in all aspects of the life

of the Church. This would create other limitations as it tends to externalize expression, stick to

the rules, adapt rites literally, or focus on moral practices. Consequently, living faith of Vietnamese

Catholics is limited in habit and custom or rules but not personal conviction in belief.20 In fact,

many Catholics go to the church out of fear. They were afraid that their neighbors would question

or tell gossip about them; that parish priest would complain or punish; that God would punish them

for their laziness. This leads a state in which the church life seems to depend on Church’s activities

but lack depth of faith.

First, people need to attend the Church’s activities because, through those activities, they,

on one hand, are able to fulfill their duty as Catholics; on the other hand, they may receive some

blessings of God for particular petitions. Thus, if the bigger activity is the more opportune their

needs would be met. Unfortunately, priests and bishops seem to fall into this trap. According to

Fr. Nguyen Trong Vien, O.P, one often evaluates priests through their activities. The priests also

identify themselves through activities.21 This creates the culture of competition among dioceses,

parishes, chapels, villages, and families. The competition appears often in solemn and splendid

celebration or activity organizations and in building the churches or chapel. It is not too surprising

20
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2011.,No. 8 & CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2012: Nam Duc Tin., 5.
21
Nguyen Trong Vien, O.P. Nhung Can Benh Tram Kha Trong Doi Song Duc Tin Cong Giao Tai Viet Nam
[Incurable Sicknesses in Catholic Life of Vietnamese] (Ho Chi Minh City: Phuong Dong Publications, 2007), 15-19.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 13

to see most churches in Vietnam as big and fine as Cathedrals, especially in the Central and the

North of Vietnam. It is simply because the great majority of Vietnamese consider a church as

symbol of their faith. Needless to say, the more magnificent and the bigger the church is, the

stronger their faith is. Besides, in order to attract more people, priests focus more on their

preparation for their talk or homily but somehow lessen the focus to live it out as they preach. I do

not mean the activities, attraction, and preparation are not important and necessary, but just to

point out its focus or intention or motivation for true purpose of homily and activity. The need of

those things depends much on the circumstances. Otherwise, other people may misunderstand

them. All these cultural issues reveal the Church of Vietnam as a so rich, powerful, and influential

one. All of these appearances threaten the temporal authority. In addition, civil authority has a long

and deep prejudice against the Church throughout its history. They are afraid that the history would

be restored. Therefore, the reaction and persecution of authority are unavoidable. Consequently,

all main issues involving religion such as control, religious freedom, and free mass media

communication come out. Reflecting upon all difficulties, the Church of Vietnam has something

to be responsible for those problems, not just blaming for the communist regime.

In the same way, if one looks at the political problem as challenge, she or he may find

benefits (good things) in this matter. For example, if the Church controls all external expression

or activities, she should convert them into interiority or at least be aware what she is doing.

Meaning to say, Catholic people may reflect and consider all religious celebrations and activities

whether they do it because of fear or love of God. Moreover, in order to survive under persecution,

the Church of Vietnam has no way but becomes more humble, united, having solidarity, and

communion with one another. In this sense, the control of Communists over the Church of Vietnam

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 14

is not as bad as people have thought, rather it is a call to renew the Church both herself and her

evangelization.

For influence on the family tradition, an evangelizer, a church man always comes to people

with the attitude of a teacher. As a teacher, his duty is just to teach or hand over whatever he has

but not considers much the context in which his students live in. It leads to a problem of teaching

out of the context. As a result, it may lose effectiveness in evangelization. It is simply because one

comes to teach people but he understands nothing about them. As they are starving and waiting

for food to survive, he offers them a bible to read. Of course, the bible is good but it is useless in

this circumstance. Besides, a teacher is considered as the one who knows better than others if not

all-knowing and belongs to the highest class. Therefore, it is hard for him to live among people

and listen to them. Obviously, there is need to change the attitude of evangelizers from a teacher

into learner. Meaning to say, an evangelizer should enter into the real life of people. There he may

encounter, be with them, listen to their life story, learn from them in order to understand and

empathize with them. It is what Pope Francis means when he said that a priest should take on the

‘smell of the sheep’ in his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium. In this sense, the Church of

Vietnam as the family of God should work harder in order to obtain this attitude of evangelization

and to implement the spirit of Vatican II.

Implementing Vatican Council II

Through understanding her strengths and weaknesses as the Family of God, the Church of

Vietnam attempts her best to renew herself according the call of Vatican Council II. In the very

first meeting of the Bishops in 1980, the Church urgently calls and invites people together with

her to “do evangelization in the heart of Country”. In this pastoral letter, the Church emphasizes

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 15

the dialogue with culture and politics with the spirit of Vatican Council II, which is to be open, to

dialogue, and to reach out to people who Catholics live with in order to invite people to be members

in the Family of God.22

In order to fulfill its mission, the Church reminds her people about their three major duties:

Live, Witness, and Proclaim the Gospel from the pastoral letter released in 2000 entitled “Live,

Witness, and Proclaim the Gospel”. However, the greatest challenge that Catholics have is

confronting today the declining social morality and traditional family values. Therefore, the

Church addresses the important role of the family in building up the Church, especially Catholic

Family Education with hopes to restore the traditional family values in the pastoral letter in 2008.

For the Church, the crisis of the family tradition is a root of all crises.

Besides, the crisis of traditional family is reflected in the crisis of the Church. The

consequence of crisis is to break out the unity and boundary of love infused in the Church.

Accordingly, the problem of the family not only influences the Church on her external affairs but

internal ones. Those influences are addressed in the pastoral letter in 2011. In this letter, the Church

identifies herself as The Family of God, on one hand, sets the goal for her to achieve; on the other

hand, determines her strengths and weaknesses by mirroring the ideal image of the Family of God.

In front of the mirror as the Family of God, the Church seems to see herself clearly. She

knows very well that she could not fulfill the mission of Christ if she did not renew and reform

herself both externally and interiorly. All she needs to do is to realize whatever good existed in

people’s hearts and minds or in rites and customs of people to sanctify and perfect them for God’s

Kingdom. In order to do that, she has no choice but to be humble as a learner to listen to them,

22
CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 1980: Rao Giang Tin Mung Giua Long Dan Toc [Pastoral Letter 1980: Evangelization in
the Heart of Country] (Hanoi: CBCV, 1980), 8.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 16

especially the cry of the poor. The Church becomes the Church of the poor as long as the Church

knows how to listen patiently to people’s needs, share their joys and hopes, grief and anxieties,

know them personally and stand by them in solidarity. In other words, the cloth of pride of the

Church must be taken off so that God’s love may be manifested and seen by people. Through the

nakedness of the Church, people may see and realize that they are a part or member in this Family

of God. From it, the unity and communion of the Family may be promoted. In such a way, the

Church and the people’s mission may be realized, and Vietnamese Catholics faith will grow

stronger in the context of Vietnam today. Let the Vietnamese Church be aware of The night is far

gone, the day is at hand (Rom. 13:12). Let them conduct themselves as day, not discriminating

between men and women, not boasting themselves but God, not competing but supporting one

another, not worshiping God by fear but by love, and not treating one another by rules but by

forgiveness. As a result the Church of Vietnam may become a Family which educates by love, a

first school for incarnation of the Son of God, an expression of love between Christ and the Church,

a school to train or learn about unity and communion, and a school to educate people to honor and

respect parents and where the worship of God is as the will of God for God’s Family.23 Thanks to

that the Church of Vietnam may become a family whose members are “adults”: grownups, mature,

not treated as children or infants.

23
Ibid., No. 4-8.

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 17

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

I. Books and Articles

Scott W. Sunquirst, et al., eds., A Dictionary of Asian Christianity (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B.

Eerdmans Publishing, Company, 2001).

Peter Phan, In Our Own Tongues: Perspectives from Asia on Mission and Inculturation (Maryknoll, New

York: orbis Book, 2003).

Nguyen Trong Vien, O.P. Nhung Can Benh Tram Kha Trong Doi Song Duc Tin Cong Giao Tai Viet Nam

[Incurable Sicknesses in Catholic Life of Vietnamese] (Ho Chi Minh City: Phuong Dong

Publications, 2007).

Marcel Doan Minh, “Christian Faith and Culture in Vietnam” (East Asian Pastoral Review 43, 2006, 1).

Peter Phan, Vietnamese-American Catholics (Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 2005).

Tran Ngoc Them, Tim Ve Ban Sac Van Hoa Viet Nam [Discovery of the Identity of Vietnamese Culture],

2nd ed., (Ho Chi Minh City: Ho Chi Minh City Pusplishing House, 1997).

II. CBCV, Pastoral Letter of Vietnamese Bishops

CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 1980: Rao Giang Tin Mung Giua Long Dan Toc [Pastoral Letter 1980:

Evangelization in the Heart of Country] (Hanoi: CBCV, 1980).

CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 1998: Huong Ve Nam Thanh 2000[Pastoral Letter 1998: Looking Forward to

The Holy Year, 2000] (Hanoi City: CBCV, 1998).

CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2008: Moi truong Giao Duc Gia Dinh Kito Giao [Pastoral Letter 2008:

Regarding Catholic Family Education] (Hanoi: CBCV, 2008).

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 18

CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2011: Cung Nhau Boi Dap Nen Van Minh Tinh Thuong va Su Song [Building

together the Culture of love and life] (Ho Chi Minh City: CBCV, 2011).

CBCV, Thu Chung Nam 2012: Nam Duc Tin [Pastoral Letter 2012: Regarding the Year of Faith] (Thanh

Hoa: CBCV, 2012).

Stephen Nguyen Van Nang, CMF Page | 19