Hanoi archbishop resigns; faithful suspect government pressure
November 23, 2009
More than 100,000 Vietnamese Catholics participated in a grand opening ceremony on November 23 for the Jubilee declared by that country's hierarchy. But the joy of the occasion was overshadowed by concerns that the Archbishop of Hanoi had stepped down because of pressure from the Vietnamese government.
Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, the vice-dean of the College of Cardinals, presided at the Jubilee ceremonies along with Cardinals Andre Vingt-Trois of Paris, Bernard Law of St. Mary Major basilica, and Jean Baptiste Pham Minh Man of Saigon. The presence of Cardinal Etchegaray in Vietnam was significant because he has long been a diplomatic trouble-shooter for the Vatican, where Church leaders have repeatedly clashed with the government in recent months.
Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet of Hanoi had told his priests last week that he was resigning his post, citing his deteriorating health. The archbishop is only 57 years old, has always worked at a demanding schedule, and has shown no signs of illness. Skeptical Catholics believe that his resignation was prompted not by any physical malady, but by pressure from the Vietnamese government. Government officials have denounced the archbishop for his support of Catholic activists seeking the return of Church property in Hanoi.
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