Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh made a visit and extended the best wishes to Catholic dignitaries and followers of the Bui Chu diocese in Xuan Truong district, the northern province of Nam Dinh, on December 23.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh (fifth from right) delivers Christmas greetings to
Catholic dignitaries and followers of Bui Chu diocese. (Photo: VNA) 

On the occasion, she informed Bishop of Bui Chu diocese Vu Dinh Hieu, and local Catholic dignitaries and followers of the country’s socio-economic achievements in the past year, with stable macro-economy, economic growth reaching 7 percent and inflation rate curbed under 3 percent.

Hailing Nam Dinh as a leading province in the country in new style rural area building and education and training, Vice President Thinh said that the results were greatly contributed by local Catholic followers.

She expressed her hope that with their position and role, local priests and dignitaries will continue popularising and encouraging the local Catholic followers to abide by the Party’s policies and the State’s laws, contributing to strengthening the great national solidarity bloc and the local socio-economic development.

Bishop Vu Dinh Hieu, for his part, thanked leaders from the Party, State, Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-political organisations and local authority for facilitating the Catholic community’s religious activities, while highlighting contributions of the local Catholics to local development.

Nam Dinh province is home to nearly 600 churches, 140 parishes, and a community of more than 470,000 Catholic followers, accounting for over 20 percent of the province’s population.