President Vo Van Thuong and Pope Francis in the Vatican. (Photo: WVR/Nguyen Hong)

At the talks between President Vo Van Thuong and Pope Francis, and Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin respectively, the two sides expressed high appreciation for the noteworthy progress in the relations between Vietnam and the Holy See, and the positive contributions by the Catholic community of Vietnam thus far.

President Vo Van Thuong and Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin. (Photo: WVR/Nguyen Hong)

Both sides expressed their confidence that the Resident Papal Representative will fulfill the role and mandate given in the Agreement, provide support to the Vietnamese Catholic community in their undertakings in the spirit of the law and, always inspired by the Magisterium of the Church, to fulfill the vocation of “accompanying the nation” and to be “good Catholics and good citizens”, and contribute to the development of the country; while the Representative will be a bridge to advance relations between Vietnam and the Holy See.