Appointment of Vietnamese cardinal good for country, official says

Published: 2003-10-14

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (CNS) -- The elevation of Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man of Ho Chi Minh City to the College of Cardinals is "good news" for Catholics in Vietnam, said a Vietnamese government spokesman. "To have a new cardinal is good news for all Vietnamese Catholics," Le Dung, spokesman for Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during an Oct. 2 press conference. His remarks were reported by UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. "For the first time in the history of the Catholic Church in Vietnam, there are two cardinals at the same time," he said. Dung's comments came after some international media reported that the Vietnamese government had initially rejected the appointment. Dung denied those claims, saying relations between the Vatican and Vietnam have been improving. Cardinal-designate Man, 69, is one of three Asians among 30 new cardinals named by Pope John Paul II Sept. 28. He will be elevated to the College of Cardinals in the Oct. 21 consistory at the Vatican.

Copyright (c) 2003 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .