Vietnam Bishops Set Pastoral Priorities at Second 2026 Meeting, Plan 500th Anniversary of Gospel's Arrival

Catholic bishops from across Vietnam gathered on September 21-24 for their second regular meeting of 2026 at the Bishop's House in Thai Binh, northern Vietnam, discussing pastoral priorities and preparations for the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Gospel in the country.

The meeting brought together members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam, including Cardinal Peter Nguyen Van Nhon, former Archbishop of Hanoi, and two bishops attending a regular conference meeting for the first time: Bishop John Baptist Nguyen Quoc Hung, coadjutor bishop of Qui Nhon, and Bishop John Baptist Nguyen Quang Tuyen, auxiliary bishop of Ho Chi Minh City.

Archbishop Marek Zalewski, the Holy See's resident representative in Vietnam, also attended and shared information from the Holy See concerning the life of the Catholic Church in the country.

The bishops conducted their discussions in a spirit of prayer, listening and discernment, using the synodal method known as "Conversation in the Spirit."

They reviewed reports from the conference's Synodal Subcommittee and several specialized committees, including those responsible for evangelization, communications, liturgy, Scripture, clergy and seminarians, doctrine of the faith and the laity.

A major decision was the establishment of a committee to prepare for the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Gospel in Vietnam, marking the period from 1533 to 2033. Bishop Dominic Hoang Minh Tien was appointed to lead the committee, with Bishop John Baptist Nguyen Huy Bac, Bishop Joseph Bui Cong Trac and Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Vien as members.

The bishops also agreed to prepare a 2026 pastoral letter with the theme, "Every Catholic family is a missionary community."

The conference scheduled its first regular meeting of 2027 for April 5-9 at the Bishop's House in Thanh Hoa, also in northern Vietnam.

The meeting concluded with celebrations marking important milestones in the Church in northern Vietnam. The bishops joined the Diocese of Thai Binh in celebrating its 90th anniversary, commemorating its establishment in 1936.

They also shared in the Diocese of Bui Chu's celebration of the inauguration and consecration of its cathedral and marked the 125th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Phat Diem in 1901.

Vietnam, a Southeast Asian country with a Catholic population concentrated in several regions, has 27 dioceses organized into three ecclesiastical provinces centered on Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City. The Catholic Bishops' Conference serves as the national forum for the country's bishops in coordinating pastoral and evangelization initiatives.

The second regular meeting of 2026 concluded on September 24 with the signing of the official minutes at the Thai Binh Bishop's House. The minutes were confirmed by Bishop Joseph Do Manh Hung, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam and bishop of Phan Thiet.