In the context of Church-State relations that remain delicate, the Holy See has just announced the nomination of a new bishop for one of the most important episcopal sees in Vietnam.

Bishop Nguyên Van Manh was just named bishop of Dalat by the Holy See on April 8. The new bishop was born in 1955 in the diocese of Cân Tho, to a family that had just taken refuge from the diocese of Bù i Chu in North Vietnam. After studying at the minor seminary of Dalat, he was sent to the Pontifical Institute of St. Pius X to prepare for the priesthood. He remained there until 1980, when the institution was closed by the civil authorities. In the years that followed, it was still very difficult to ordain priests. The young seminarian thus committed himself to pastoral ministry in one of the parishes of his diocese. In 1994, he was at last ordained a priest and was given the office of vicar in a large parish in his diocese, Bao Lôc.

According to 2013 statistics, the number of faithful Catholics in Dalat is about 365,000, which places it among the five or six largest dioceses in Vietnam. The majority of Catholics living in the diocese is comprised of many communities that belong to the region’s native ethnic groups. The two principal tribes influenced by Christianity are the Churus and the Kohos. Their evangelization began between the two world wars and continues to this day.

In 2013, there were 144 secular priests, who now have a major seminary in the diocese for their formation, and 109 religious priests.

Sources: EDA – FSSPX.News - 4/26/17