Friday 14 November 2008

Full VN clergy in Rome for John Paul’s funeral



Cardinal Pham Minh Man, Archbishop of Hanoi Ngo Quang Kiet, President of the Vietnam Episcopal Council Nguyen Van Hoa, and Bishops Bui Thai Son from Ho Chi Minh City, Dang Duc Ngan from Hanoi and Nguyen Van Yen from the Phat Diem diocese will pay tribute to the Pope at his funeral on April 8.

According to Father Tu, news of the Pope’s passing has spread to all parishes, each in mourning and offering prayers for the late Pontiff.

Cardinal Pham Minh Man, the Assistant Bishop, and priests in HCM City on April 5 also held prayers before flying to Italy for the funeral. Cardinal Man, 71, will be one of the 120 cardinals voting in a new Pope in Vatican City.

“At present I cannot reckon up the total number of people go to the funeral but I know that this is a crowded delegation,” Father Tu said.

The Vice Chairman of the Government's Religions Board, Nguyen Thanh Xuan, said that his board has asked local authorities to support Catholic populations and dignitaries who wish to go to Rome.

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