Catholic Vietnam: Growing despite Communist oppression
Yes, things are better than in 1975, but I know from my own experience with the system there and my conversations with priests and nuns and other Catholics that the government hates all organized religion, as their competition for domination of the minds of the people. They have come down very hard on the Christian Montagnards, and also on the Cao Dai and Hoa Hao, and have installed government friendly monks to head the major Buddhist sects. Going to Mass in Viet Nam is a different experience. Everyone dresses up, and everyone SINGS, and they are great singers. Their faith is something you can feel when you are among them. They don't get many government jobs, they are always a little suspect in the eyes of the state, and if they do anything remotely provocative, like holding a party for disabled old South Viet Nam vets as in Saigon last year, all kinds of pressures come down very quickly. But they hang on, may He bless them all and keep them strong. --Del
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