On Monday, a group of Da Nang’s leaders, led by municipal Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Xuan Anh, visited the office of the Diocese of Da Nang in recognition of the upcoming Christmas.

Secretary Anh (centre) with municipal People’s Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho (2nd right) and Bishop Ngan (1st left)

Secretary Anh wished the local Catholic dignitaries and followers a happy and peaceful Christmas.  In particular, he highly praised them for their active involvement in accelerating the city’s socio-economic progress this year.

In reply, the Bishop of the Diocese of Da Nang, Dang Duc Ngan, expressed his special emotional attachment to Da Nang – a dynamic and liveable city.  In the 2 decades since its recognition as a centrally-governed city on 1 January 1997, Da Nang has made more breakthroughs than any other large Vietnamese city, and is expected to have even more success in the years ahead. 

Bishop Ngan vowed that the local Catholic community would continue their efforts to secure Da Nang’s position as a socio-economic hub in the central region and highlands.

The city leaders with representatives from the municipal Representative Board of the Evangelical Church of Viet Nam in the southern region….

…with those from the Viet Nam Christian Mission

Also on the same day, the city leaders paid Christmas visits to the city-based Viet Nam Christian Mission, and the municipal Representative Board of the Evangelical Church of Viet Nam.

Secretary Anh expressed his hope that the Christian dignitaries at these 2 religious agencies would encourage more followers to uphold their consensus and solidarity, as well as to implement their religious activities in the spirit of ensuring a ‘good secular and religious life’.  This will help to make Da Nang an even more prosperous, civilised, and modern city in the future.

The hosts expressed their sincere thanks to the city leaders for facilitating local religious followers to practise their faith over recent years.