HCM CITY — The Catholic committee in HCM City will continue promoting charitable activities, education and healthcare, contributing to the city’s socio-economic development, the chairman of the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics (CSVC) in HCM City said on Wednesday.

Speaking at an event organised by the CSVC, Priest Phan Khắc Từ, said the Vietnamese Catholics were proud of the country’s great achievements. 

Nearly 600 priests, civil servants, intellectuals and parishioners from all walks of life attended the 8th Vietnamese Catholics’ national development and defence conference (2018-23 term).

“The Party and State respects freedom of religion and recognises it as a legitimate need,” Từ noted.

Từ said he highly valued contributions from the Catholic community to the nation’s development, and that people from all backgrounds and religions across the country should show their solidarity and strive for political stability.

In the past five years, Vietnamese Catholics have greatly contributed to many fields, including healthcare, social affairs, education, and charity, with nearly VNĐ352 billion (US$15.13 million) in donations. In addition, some 31,000 people donated blood in the period. 

In the next five years, CSVC in HCM City will continue promoting the tradition of national unity, and strive to enhance the patriotic movement among Catholics in the city.

The committee will focus on strengthening the path of being a “companion with the nation”, as well as spreading teachings related to family and society.

After the law on religion comes into effect this year, the Government will continue to amend regulations and create legal conditions for religious activities to ensure freedom of religion among followers.

Under the law, actions that take advantage of religion to divide people, cause social disorder or prevent the country’s development will be banned in Việt Nam. 

The two-day meeting reviewed the patriotic movement and the solidarity committee’s activities during the 7th term (2012-17) to draw lessons for the 2018-23 term.

Headquartered in Hà Nội, CSVC, a social organisation and a member of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front, operates under Việt Nam’s constitution and laws, and the pastoral direction of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Việt Nam. — VNS