VFF President Duyet spoke highly of the role played by Archbishop Kiet and other Catholic dignitaries in mobilising Catholics to abide by the Party's policies and the State's laws.

The VFF President expressed his hope that Archbishop Kiet and other Catholic dignitaries would make more contributions to maintain national unity and to help the front carry out its role of social supervision and participation.

Archbishop Kiet thanked the VFF for its profound care towards Catholic followers in his archdiocese. He hoped the VFF would always remain the common house for national unity.

The archbishop considered the release of the White Book on religion and other policies regarding religious activities in Vietnam in addition to the warm welcome given to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung during his recent visit to the Vatican as a sign that Vietnam always looks to the future, respecting and ensuring its people’s freedom of religion and belief.

The same day, authorities in the southern province of Soc Trang held a meeting with clerics of various religions on February 6 to encourage followers to contribute to local socio-economic development.

Representatives from the provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee and Department for Religious Affairs praised religious clerics for raising over VND7 billion from followers to charity funds in 2006. The money was used to build houses for the homeless and poor war veterans as well as to improve living conditions of the poor.

Local authorities encouraged religious population to actively respond to the province's 2007 charity targets of raising over VND10 billion for the fund in support of war veterans and fallen soldiers' families. They hoped they would get enough money to build 1,800 new houses in 2007 for the poor and those who have made contributions to the nation.

Soc Trang province has enjoyed community unity attributable to efforts made by the local administration and public agencies to meet people's spiritual needs

The province has so far approved 137 applications from religious sects or followers for ordaining clerics, holding festivals, making overseas study tours and building or upgrading places of worship.

VOVNews/VNA