Catholics in Kế Sách District, Sóc Trăng Province work together to build a new strong road as part of the campaign of setting up new rural living lifestyle. — VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Phi

HÀ NỘI — A total of 400 representatives will attend the eighth National Congress of Vietnamese Catholics to Build and Protect the Fatherland for the term 2023-28.

The information was announced at a press conference on Wednesday by Vũ Thành Nam, chief of the Central Office of the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics (CSVC).

The two-day congress will start on the following Tuesday in Hà Nội.

Attendees will include priests, monks, and parishioners representing Catholics nationwide.

The congress is responsible for summarising and evaluating the working results of the previous congress – term 2018-23; and for developing directions and tasks for the patriotic emulation campaign among Catholics for the period 2023-28.

It aims to improve the work efficiency of the CSVC to meet the requirements and tasks of the new era, and actively contribute to the cause of building and protecting the Fatherland.

The work seeks to affirm that Catholic people will always support the nation's development.

The congress will negotiate and nominate priests, nuns, and parishioners with the requisite capacity, prestige, and conditions to join the eighth term of the CSVC.

The event will praise and reward organisations and individuals with outstanding achievements in the past term and promote the patriotic emulation campaign with a focus on fostering a new rural living lifestyle.

To date, 42 out of 63 provinces and cities across the country have founded local committees for the solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics.

The committees have a total of 2,758 members; of which 381 are priests, 183 are monks, and 2,159 are parishioners.

The activities of the CSVC at all levels continue to improve, with specific programmes and plans.

They coordinate closely with the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee at the same level.

Members of the CSVC at all levels emphasise their roles and responsibilities in the patriotic emulation campaign.

Thanks to this, the role and position of the CSVC in society and in national solidarity are increasingly affirmed. — VNS