President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man paid a pre-Christmas visit to Can Tho Diocese in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on December 14.

President of VFF Central Committee Tran Thanh Man (third from left) in Can Tho Diocese
(Photo: VNA) 

Man wished the Bishop of Can Tho Diocese Tri Buu Thien, local priests and Catholic followers a warm and merry Christmas season and urged them to make more contributions to national development.

He underlined the contributions made by Catholic followers nationwide and those in Can Tho Diocese in particular to the country’s important achievements in the past year.

The VFF leader expressed his hope that with his prestige, Bishop Thien will continue calling on priests and Catholic followers to join social activities, national emulation campaigns, and movements launched by the VFF, contributing to the success of the party congresses at all levels and action plans set by the ninth National Congress of the VFF for the 2019 – 2024 tenure.

Bishop Thien, for his part, pledged to continue urging Catholic followers to join hands with the nation during national development, thus helping fulfill socio-economic, national defence-security targets.

Can Tho Diocese covers Can Tho city and the provinces of Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau with a total population of around 5.5 million people. There are roughly 180,000 Catholic followers, accounting for 3.4 percent of the total population, and about 200 Catholic priests.