Vice President congratulates Vinh Diocese on Christmas

On the morning of December 18, Comrade Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh - Member of the Party Central Committee, Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam visited and congratulated on Christmas 2019 at the Vinh Diocese Bishop's Palace. Accompanying her were representatives of the President's Office and the Government Committee for Religious Affairs. Photo: Thanh Duy

Also going to Nghe An province were comrades: Nguyen Dac Vinh - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation; Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, and leaders of a number of provincial departments and branches.

At the Vinh Diocese Bishop's Palace, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh sent to Bishop Alphonsus Nguyen Huu Long - Bishop of Vinh Diocese, dignitaries, officials and all Catholics her best wishes for a joyful, peaceful and happy Christmas and New Year 2020.

The Vice President also announced some highlights of the country's socio-economic situation in 2019. Accordingly, the economy continued to grow strongly, people's lives continued to improve. The emulation movement to build new rural areas achieved many results, more than 52% of communes nationwide reached the new rural destination.

The Vice President and his delegation visited the church in the Bishop's Palace. Photo: Thanh Duy

The State also has many policies to care for the people, including the program of the whole country joining hands for the poor... With the tradition of respecting God and loving the country, accompanying the nation, Catholic compatriots have contributed to the above achievements of the country.

Entering 2020, our country has many important events such as: celebrating the 130th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh, organizing Party Congresses at all levels... Vietnam officially takes over the role of Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and performs the role of a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 term. Therefore, the Vice President believes that the whole country will join hands, including religious organizations, to build Vietnam to become increasingly rich and civilized.

The Vice President visited the St. Francis Xavier Major Seminary and talked with Bishop Alphonsus Nguyen Huu Long. Photo: Thanh Duy

Noting that the Vietnam-Vatican relationship has developed very well in recent times, comrade Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh affirmed that the consistent viewpoint of the Party and State is to ensure the freedom of belief and religion of the people, create conditions for religions to operate and participate in contributing to the cause of building and defending the Fatherland, for the prosperity and happiness of the people and the development of the country.

Expressing his joy at the development achievements of Nghe An, the Vice President hoped that Bishop Alphonsus Nguyen Huu Long and other dignitaries and officials would continue to coordinate with the province to join hands in building Nghe An to develop.

On behalf of Vinh Diocese, Bishop Alphonsus Nguyen Huu Long - Bishop of Vinh Diocese was honored to welcome the Vice President's delegation to visit and congratulate Vinh Diocese on Christmas, and expressed his joy that the country is progressing every year and people's lives are improving day by day.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh and her delegation took a souvenir photo with Bishop Alphonsus Nguyen Huu Long and other dignitaries at the Bishop's Palace. Photo: Thanh Duy

Bishop Nguyen Huu Long also shared that Catholics are always aware that as citizens, in addition to taking care of their religious life and faith, they also contribute their efforts to build the country.

On this occasion, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh presented 50 gifts to policy families and poor households in Nghi Loc and Dien Chau districts and 200 scholarships worth 200 million VND to children in especially difficult circumstances in Nghe An.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh presents gifts to policy families in Nghi Loc and Dien Chau districts. Photo: Thanh Duy

Speaking to provincial officials, Nghi Loc and Dien Chau districts and the people, the Vice President expressed his excitement at Nghe An's development steps, especially its good care in gratitude, new rural construction, and helping poor households.

Wishing a happy new year 2020, the Vice President believes that with the tradition of the revolutionary homeland, the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh, Nghe An will continue to have new developments, successfully organizing the Party Congress at 3 levels. Nghi Loc and Dien Chau districts will soon become new rural districts.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh -Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Vietnam Children's Fund awarded 200 scholarships to children in especially difficult circumstances in Nghe An. Photo: Thanh Duy

Comrade Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh also hopes that families with meritorious services and families in difficult circumstances will continue to rise up, actively participate in local activities, and strictly implement policies to develop their homeland. Children and teenagers will be good, study well, and obey their grandparents, parents, and teachers.