A letter from parishioners to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thuc

(Baonghean.vn) - Following the protesters who went to protest against Formosa at the behest of Father Nguyen Dinh Thuc from Song Ngoc parish (Quynh Luu) to Dien Hong (Dien Chau), and last night, we were all staying at Dong Thap church. Only then did we truly understand that Father Nguyen Dinh Thuc's actions, both as a priest and as a person, seem inconsistent, illogical, and unsettling. We, the parishioners who daily reflect on and follow God's word, are feeling worried.

Father Thuc, we were the ones wearing hats, carrying flags, and masks, accompanying you when you first spoke through the loudspeaker. We were moved to tears, but gradually those tears dried on our cheeks, and then I told myself, be brave and see who our Father is.

By now, what you have done has given us a harsh answer, Father: "You are not a priest in the true sense of the word, as called by God!"

We are truly disappointed and deeply ashamed to have accompanied you, Father.

Nguyen Dinh Thuc used loudspeakers to incite parishioners to file lawsuits on February 14, 2017.

At first, we mistakenly thought that Father had gathered us to file a complaint for the sake of justice and righteousness, but the more we heard about his phone conversations with some group of people discussing business, the more we realized how ironic it all was.

We recognize that the Church places itself within the natural flow of Christian tradition and that this is an inherent requirement in its mission of evangelization. However, when you intervene in social issues, what is the relationship between the Church and the government? Can you explain this?

Father, Jesus himself acknowledged the legitimacy of politics and also defined its limits: "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God" (Mark 8:15). He called for a distinction between political authority and another kind of power, another law, the law of God, a law inscribed in the heart, whose purpose is to enlighten consciences.

It was none other than Saint Paul who exhorted the Romans with this sentiment: "Submit to the authorities, not only out of fear of punishment, but also out of conscience" (Romans 13:5). Like Jesus, Saint Paul respected established authorities.

A priest surely understands this better than we do: Jesus never acknowledged a political mission. He refused when people tried to recognize Him as a Prophet, a King (John 6:14-15). Jesus did not want to lead a nation, nor did He want to lead liberation movements or restore the nation of Israel. He answered Governor Pilate: "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between political and religious orders and spheres.

Father, the environmental disaster caused by the Formosa Group's entry into Vietnam is as clear as day. The government has made efforts to restore the situation, and the Formosa Group itself – the direct cause of the disaster – has accepted responsibility and confessed its guilt to the people. Now you are urging us to file a complaint, but we don't know what to sue for. We haven't suffered any losses, have we?

Only we, the brothers and sisters in the four provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hue, who suffered damage, have been included in the government's statistics. Some of us have already received compensation, while a number of owners of frozen food processing facilities have not yet received support due to inconsistent data. Why are you making us suffer the consequences of this disaster?

Father, please stop, give us back our time to work, give us back the peace that existed before you returned to Song Ngoc. Following the group, my heart aches, not from hunger or fatigue, not from stepping on rocks, not from the long journey, but from the pain of a priest, a shepherd leading his flock as if seeking justice, and yet the Church has to speak out in shame. Has our justice been taken away from us?

We still go to church to pray, the church and chapel facilities are being built and renovated with the attention of the government at all levels, there is food shortage and famine, the poor and those in particularly difficult circumstances receive relief, medical care is covered by health insurance, and the elderly receive subsidies... It was a mistake for us to accompany you in filing complaints.

We believe that no one else but you, Father, has the responsibility to convey the teachings of Jesus to new circumstances, to the current political situation. The Church constantly actualizes the teachings of the Gospel. We earnestly hope that you will believe in the Gospel and, through your living a true Christian life, believing in the teachings of the Church, your mindset and attitude towards politics will gradually change. If this happens, you will be invited to reconsider and reflect.

Father, participating in political life is a test of character. Each person must seriously examine their own contributions to the political community, whether those contributions have been worthwhile, and consider whether they have fulfilled their duties as a priest. What you are doing is, inadvertently, exposing to everyone a negative aspect of Catholic morality.

Some parishioners felt ashamed and confused for having been incited by Nguyen Dinh Thuc to participate in the protests.

It was you, Father, who told the cameraman not to film you leading the protest because it was offensive. How did you know it was offensive, yet you still led us there? If you don't remember, let me quote from chapter X, section 27 of Canon Law, "Particularly concerning the Church," which states: "...Do not transform yourself into a political force, for that is contrary to the nature and mission of the Church..." That's it, Father.

To contribute to solving social problems, the Church needs to conduct multifaceted dialogue: dialogue with the Government, who are responsible for organizing, stabilizing, and building society; yet, when the highest leaders of Nghe An province came to directly engage in dialogue this afternoon, Father refused to listen. He always teaches us obedience, but he himself is disobedient. Because through dialogue, the moral values ​​of the nation, of our fellow human beings, and true human values ​​will be revealed. If Father refuses to engage in dialogue, those values ​​risk being eroded. A priest like that—I ask everyone, does he deserve his position?

Even when government representatives tried to explain the situation to the parishioners, Nguyen Dinh Thuc continued to incite the parishioners.

We believe that among the flock who have followed you all day today, we are the ones who were born and raised in this Song Ngoc countryside before you. You are only the age of our children, but because you were ordained a priest, we, as your flock, obey you. However, we also diligently read the Instruction of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith sent to the Ordinaries in Vietnam in 1659, which contains the passage: "...Teach the faithful their duty to be faithful to the State, even if those in authority are in difficult circumstances. In private as well as in public, do not criticize the actions of those in authority, even those who are persecuting you..." (No. 11/III). Reading and reflecting on these things, we ourselves realize where you stand and how you have acted recently.

Has the priest's work aligned with the Church's direction? It is he, and no one else, who is causing the Catholic Church to decline amidst secular life. If he does not quickly come to his senses, he will be the one responsible for the loss of the Lord's teachings, the loss of the image, humility, and charity that Christ imparted to posterity today.

Unable to sleep, partly due to mosquito bites and partly due to shame in front of everyone, we, your children, write these heartfelt words with deep sorrow, hoping that you will try to read and reflect upon them, for canon law is "Holy Discipline." Canon 519 clearly states: "The obedience of a priest brings many benefits to the Church, and conversely, the disobedience of a priest causes much harm to the Church." Having witnessed firsthand that you still did not obey when the Bishopric of Xã Đoài intervened, we cannot understand this.

Brothers and sisters in faith