VII. Roman Catholicism in South Vietnam

The Religions of South Vietnam in Faith and Fact, US Navy, Bureau of Naval Personnel, Chaplains Division [1967], at sacred-texts.com

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VII. ROMAN CATHOLICISM IN SOUTH VIETNAM

As religious beliefs must be understood before one can appreciate social customs, behavior patterns, value systems, taboos, etc., a brief study of Roman Catholicism in Vietnam is relevant. This is especially true in view of the fact that Roman Catholicism is the oldest form of Christianity in Vietnam. As a factor in Vietnamese history for several centuries, it has been and now is a religious force which requires the attention of those who seek to understand the internal situation.

The Roman Catholic Church stated that, as of the end of 1965, 10.5% (approximately 1,600,000) of all the South Vietnamese Republic's present population are members. Therefore, the Church, influencing its people by leadership in moral, ethical, spiritual, and educational realms, constitutes a force which must be considered in the political, military, social, and economic decisions of an awakening nation. In 1966 the Roman Catholic Church of South Vietnam had two Archbishops with administrative offices at Saigon and Hue, and twenty Bishops who oversaw the pastoral work of 1,771 priests and the work of 4,026 nuns of the various orders. Across the 17th Parallel, the Roman Catholic Church has an Archbishop and an archdiocese at Hanoi, some nine dioceses and thirteen Bishops; but this study is oriented basically to South Vietnam, except where the Church's Vietnamese history requires inclusion of the north since the church early established in Tonkin a strong base. The various decrees affecting Catholicism were issued by the royal rulers dwelling at Hanoi for most of Roman Catholicism's Vietnamese history.

Spokesmen of the Church point out that the theology of the Church is universal and therefore no differences exist insofar as mass, etc., are involved. They also observe that cultural patterns not in conflict with Church law or theology may be practiced by adherents of the faith. Thus the ancestor shelf of veneration with minor physical modifications and emphasis is found in the home of nearly every Vietnamese except for the animistic tribespeople and the Protestants.

The comparatively strong educational program of the Church tends to place many of its graduates near the top of economic, cultural, political and academic areas of Vietnamese life except where the dynamics of religious forces gravitate against them. As governmental educational institutions develop and assume a molding influence, the effect of Church-oriented education will not be so obvious, which may lessen the tension which currently seems to exist in varying degrees throughout South Vietnam.

The Church's figures of 101,010 catechists, 189,930 baptisms and 19,293 marriages for 1963 is considered about normal according to one Vietnamese Roman Catholic Bishop. Yet the course of the war and political strife undoubtedly has an effect upon the Church even as it does upon the individual Vietnamese throughout Vietnam. While the death rate or apostasy figures have not been included, they are involved in computation of Church growth according to hierarchy spokesmen.

DATES OF IMPORTANCE WITHIN ROMAN CATHOLICISM IN VIETNAM

1533: The Edict of Le-Trang-Ton that forbade the introduction of Catholicism into the province of Nam.-Dinh, (now in North Vietnam) .

1550: The landing of Gaspar de Santa Cruz, a Roman Catholic Priest, at Con-Cao in the province of Ha-Tien, South Vietnam, after sailing from Malacca.

1580: While South Vietnam was still largely peopled by the Chams and Khmers, Franciscans came from the Philippines and settled in Central Vietnam.

1615: Establishment by the Society of Jesus of a mission in Central Vietnam, staffed by Jesuits from Japan.

1624: Arrival in Central Vietnam of the Jesuit priest, Alexandre de Rhodes, the author of the current Vietnamese alphabet and an important figure in Vietnamese history.

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1625: King Sai-Vuong issued an edict against missionaries.

1627: Alexandre de Rhodes moved to Tonkin (in North Vietnam); his mission seemed extremely successful.

1629: Trinh-Trang, King of Tonkin, forbade conversion to Christianity upon pain of death; and in 1630 expelled Alexandre de Rhodes, who returned to Central Vietnam.

1645: Some Roman Catholics are martyred and Alexandre de Rhodes is expelled from Cochinchina.

1646: With the encouragement and support of a Catholic Viceroy of Kwangsi (China), Roman Catholicism is defended in Tonkin; a number of conversions take place.

1650: Alexandre de Rhodes urges the Society of Congregation for Propagation of the Faith to send Bishops to Vietnam in order to establish churches and train Vietnamese clergy.

1651: The first printing of an Vietnamese-Latin catechism in Rome using the Vietnamese alphabet devised by Alexander de Rhodes.

1658: Roman Catholic adherents through baptism estimated at better than one quarter of a million: with the exception of two missionaries, all missionaries expelled from Tonkin.

1659: The beginning of the Apostolic Vicariates for Cochinchina and Tonkin with Lambert de la Motte for the first and Pallu for the second location.

1665: At least forty Roman Catholic martyrs, and a new exile for missionaries.

1666: Beginning of a floating seminary for clergy by vicar-general Monsignor Pallu.

1668: Ordained the first two Tonkin Vietnamese priests and the first two Cochin-china Vietnamese priests with ordination being performed in what is now Thailand.

1670: Organization of Synod in Tonkin. Nine local priests were available for this event which took place on 14 February.

1672: Organization of the first synod in Cochin-china on February 12. Also seems to have been some disagreement requiring settlement between French missionaries and Portuguese Christians in area.

1674 and 1675: The first attempt by the Roman Catholic Church of a mission to the Montagnards or Tribespeople.

1676: The arrival of the Spanish Dominicans in Tonkin.

1678: Oath of obedience to Apostolic Vicars imposed by Pope on all Roman Catholic missionaries.

1680: Reorganization of Church in Vietnam placed Monsignor Lambert de la Motte in charge of entire area.

1689: Society of Jesus successful in achieving abrogation of oath for their order.

1698: Both Tonkin and Cochinchina have some persecution of Catholics but growth of Church continues.

1712: Apostolic Vicar deported.

1719: 700 churches destroyed with martyrdom of Vietnamese priests and 2 foreign Jesuits.

1737: Additional Jesuits lose their heads in the capital of Tonkin.

1745: Spanish Dominicans also martyred.

1773: As persecution continues and spreads, Jesuits suppressed and disappear from mission.

1778: Due to help rendered the future Emperor Gia-Long, and agreement signed, the French landed at Tourane (now Danang) and Paulo-Condor.

1798: Martyrdom of additional Vietnamese priests.

1802: The unification of Vietnam under the Emperor Gia-Long gave Roman Catholics comparative freedom and the Church had about 300,000 people on its record.

1825: Emperor Minh-Mang forbade missionaries to enter Vietnam, which caused French intervention that created indignation and open hostility.

1833: On January 6 Minh-Mang issued his decree of persecution.

1840: When persecution slackened at this time, the Church claimed 420,000 members in Vietnam.

1851: A new edict by Tur-Duc against the Roman Catholics resulted in more than 90,000 of the laity being killed as well as more than one hundred priests.

1856: New edict of persecution by Tur-Duc. 1862: Treaty between French and Vietnamese Tur-Duc provided some liberty for Vietnamese Roman Catholics.

1868-1888: Severe persecution again was the order of the time.

1883: French regime provided cessation of persecution of Roman Catholics.

1890: The Church claimed over 70,000 Roman Catholic converts for year.

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Click to enlarge

Map of Roman Catholic Dioceses of South Vietnam

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1933: The first Vietnamese national consecrated as a Bishop.

1947: First recorded martyrdom of Roman Catholics by Viet Minh partisans.

1954: Partition of Vietnam; with 650,000 Roman Catholics immigrating to South Vietnam from north of 17th Parallel; there are about twice as many Roman Catholics in South Vietnam as in North Vietnam.

1959: The Hanoi Apostolic Delegation closed by order of government.

1960: The Church established a hierarchy for all of Vietnam with three archdioceses (Hanoi, Hue’, and Saigon) and three additional dioceses with Apostolic Delegate located in Saigon.

1963: Established the diocese of Danang.

1965: Division of Saigon Diocese into the dioceses of Saigon, Xuan-Loc, and Phuc-'Cuong.

1966: With ordination of another bishop, the Church in South Vietnam had 20 Bishops, 5 French and 15 Vietnamese, while in North Vietnam there were 13 Vietnamese Bishops for a total of 33 Bishops in the two Vietnams.

NOTE: More information could be added to each date and the intervening years, but this review covers the major Church events to give the setting and understanding of various historical forces so that the current struggles can be better understood and evaluated.

ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESES IN NORTH VIETNAM

Because the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy of Vietnam includes North Vietnam insofar as the Roman Catholic Church is concerned, the population of the dioceses of North Vietnam is included with the percentage of Roman Catholic members.

ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESES IN SOUTH VIETNAM

* Approximate.

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FIGURES OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NORTH VIETNAM as gleaned from Roman Catholic sources, publications and interviews with authorities of the Roman Catholic Church in Vietnam.

Figures are of end 1963

*500 members is the dividing line between small and large churches.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bernard-Maitre, Henri, Pour La Comprehension De L'Indochine et de L’Occident, Paris: Cathasia, 1938-1939

Cadiere, Leopold, Croyances et Pratiques Religieuses Des Vietnamiens, Saigon: Imprimerie Nouvelle D'Extreme Orient, 1958

Viet-Nam Cong-Giao Nien-Giam, 6 Roman Catholic Year Books of Vietnam 1964, Saigon: Sacerdos, 1964

VIETNAM, Past and Present, Saigon: Government Printing, National Education

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