Đức Thánh Giáo hoàng Gioan Phaolô II với VIỆT NAM

Lm John Tran Manh Browse 4/5/2023

“Pope John Paul II is here,

in front of the Vietnamese Bishops ' Conference to “Visita ad Limina Apostolorum”,

Vietnamese priests and parishioners in Rome intentionally visit Vietnam, where people are eager to visit,

June 22, 1980”

 Pope John Paul II visits foyer to Rome in 1980

It is the Beautiful Small Beer Table that Foyer released Diem in Rome located in the very place of Pope John Paul II, on June 22, 1980, expressing gesture that speaks of special favor to the Church, the people and the country of Vietnam.

On the occasion of the bishops of Vietnam, under the guidance of Cardinal Joseph Maria Trinh Van Cung to Rome, the duty of visiting the tombs of the Apostles according to the Catholic Church's law forces its bishops every 5 years.

Therefore, all the Catholic world, especially the Church of Vietnam, watches over the pastors during their stay in Rome. As usual, they lived in Foyer.

On the other hand, Foyer developed Diem since its founding in 1949, as “Procura del Vietnam " (Department of management of Vietnam), where priests, seminarians, male and female monks met, students and lay people attended the ceremony. Then with the refurbished reconstruction by Father Phero Maria Vu Kim Dien, in 1969, it became not only a focal point for the Vietnamese in Rome, but also one of the Centers for receiving pilgrims from all directions of heaven, especially from Vietnam to visit the ancient city.

What Pope John Paul II favors Vietnamese Catholicism is well known: deep speeches for Vietnam every convenient occasion, welcoming the bloom of Vietnamese bishops to Rome, the constant concern for Vietnam there are bishops in each territory, there are more priests for Buddhists and seminaries to train clergy, monasteries for religious life to develop, there is a Vietnamese program at Vatican Radio, warmly honoring 117 Vietnamese Martyr blessed to the display holy, consecrated Cardinal caps for 4 consecrated archbishops are the Archbishops, reciting, pros and cons, especially, Cardinal Francis Xavie Nguyen Van Thuan, the head of the Holy See's Ministry of Justice and peace and separately called a Vietnamese priest to be his personal secretary so that he could be close and easily contacted with Vietnam. 

So near the Vatican there is the foyer House of Diem which Pope John Paul II knew so well. This is understandable because the Vietnamese hierarchy back then when visiting Rome with the Pope often resided in this house, especially Cardinal Trinh Nhu Khue, Cardinal Trinh Van can, Archbishop Nguyen Kim Dien, Archbishop Nguyen Van Binh, and in particular, as mentioned above, Archbishop Francis Xavie Nguyen Van Thuan along with Monsignor Vinh son Tran Ngoc Thu are two people who have many years of residence. Therefore, in his eyes, Foyer developed Diem as a symbol for the country of Vietnam and in the presence of the entire bishop, the Church of Vietnam collapsed.

So completely spontaneous and almost unscheduled because only a few days in advance, he got on board only Foyer released Diem. Coming here, he first entered the prayer hall and followed the director's father, Kim Dien guided the way, he came to meet the people who were waiting intimately. The Lord's prayer, the Psalmist, pleads with the Lord, " praise the Lord, O my soul, o my soul, o my soul, o my soul, o my soul."

The visit lasted only 2 hours, but was very prosperous and people especially noted his word that he came here now intentionally to visit Vietnam, on behalf of the same country that he longed to visit.

Everyone present rejoices, exceedingly touched by the noble gesture of father Chung, who does not raise his hand solemnly with a devoted prayer, but also leaves a pen that is then inscribed in the stone at the door of Foyer Phat Diem " CUM BENEDICTIONE JOANNES PAULUS II PP."(I bless John Paul II, Pope)

As he once said: in order not to forget, he wrote himself on a piece of paper called “VIETNAM” and put it on his kneeling table in his own chapel; thus, every day, every hour of prayer, the intention of offering to the Lord is applied to this beloved country.