Many remember late bishop for rebuilding his Vietnamese diocese

Published: 2006-10-12

BAC NINH, Vietnam (CNS) -- The late bishop of Bac Ninh has been praised for rebuilding his vast northern Vietnamese diocese, which at one point had only two priests. Bishop Joseph Nguyen Quang Tuyen of Bac Ninh, 61, died of cancer Sept. 24 at a hospital in Portland, Ore. His body was brought back to Vietnam Oct. 2, and a funeral Mass was held Oct. 4, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet of Hanoi, who celebrated the Mass, said Bishop Tuyen was brave enough to undertake his priesthood without glory or honor. Archbishop Kiet said the diocese that Bishop Tuyen inherited was large in terms of territory and Catholics, but short on staff, damaged by war and affected by misunderstandings between the church and the government. The Bac Ninh Diocese covers all or part of 12 provinces, about 9,880 square miles.

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