A. Ordinary of Hung Hoa Diocese
Bishop Antoine Vu Huy Chuong was born on Sept. 14, 1944 in the northern province of Ha Tay. He and his family were part of the exodus to the south in 1954, when communists took control of the north from French colonial rulers. On Dec. 18, 1972, he was ordained a priest of Can Tho, a diocese serving the Mekong delta region. He taught at St. Quy Major Seminary in Can Tho before he was appointed Bishop of Hung Hoa on Aug. 5, 2003. He was ordained a bishop on Oct. 1 that same year. He now is president of the Episcopal Commission for Clergy and Seminarians of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference. Address: 5 Le Loi Street, Son Tay town, Ha Tay province.Phone: (84) 34-832453Fax: (84) 34-834461Email: tgmhh@hn.vnn.vn
Previous Ordinaries
Bishop Gustave André Ferdinand Raballand, M.E.P. (1956-1962)
Bishop Antoine Vu Huy Chuong was born on Sept. 14, 1944 in the northern province of Ha Tay. He and his family were part of the exodus to the south in 1954, when communists took control of the north from French colonial rulers. On Dec. 18, 1972, he was ordained a priest of Can Tho, a diocese serving the Mekong delta region. He taught at St. Quy Major Seminary in Can Tho before he was appointed Bishop of Hung Hoa on Aug. 5, 2003. He was ordained a bishop on Oct. 1 that same year. He now is president of the Episcopal Commission for Clergy and Seminarians of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference. Address: 5 Le Loi Street, Son Tay town, Ha Tay province.Phone: (84) 34-832453Fax: (84) 34-834461Email: tgmhh@hn.vnn.vn
Previous Ordinaries
Bishop Gustave André Ferdinand Raballand, M.E.P. (1956-1962)
Bishop Jean-Baptiste Maximilien Chabalier, M.E.P. (1937-1955)
Bishop Valentin Herrgott, M.E.P. (1928-1936)
Bishop Jean-Claude Bouchut, M.E.P. (1902-1928)
Bishop Jean-Baptiste Grosgeorge, M.E.P. (1896-1902)
Bishop Marie-Laurent-François-Xavier Cordier, M.E.P. (1882-1895)
Bishop Jean-Claude Miche, M.E.P. (1850-1873)
B. Other Diocesan OfficialsVicar General: Father Pierre Phung Van Ton
Address: Hoang Xa Church, Hoang Xa village, Thanh Thuy district, Phu Tho province
Phone: (84) 210-878223
Secretary: Father Joseph Nguyen Trung Thoai
Secretary: Father Joseph Nguyen Trung Thoai
Address: 5 Le Loi Street, Son Tay town, Ha Tay province
Phone: (84) 34-832453Fax: (84) 34-834461Email: tgmhh@hn.vnn.vn
Hung Hoa Diocesan Curia:
Diocesan Tribunal
Diocesan Procuration
Board of Diocesan Consultors
Diocesan Pastoral Council
Hung Hoa Diocesan Curia:
Diocesan Tribunal
Diocesan Procuration
Board of Diocesan Consultors
Diocesan Pastoral Council
Statistics A. Catholic Population
As of Dec. 31, 2003, Hung Hoa diocese had 198,000 Catholics, representing about 3.12 percent of the 6,350,000 people living in all or parts of the 10 provinces within the territory of the diocese. The diocese's 11,500 ethnic Catholics include 11,000 H'mong. The rest are Dao, Muong, Thai and Tay people. In 2003, the diocese recorded 4,635 baptisms. Also living in the diocese are members of other Christian denominations and followers of non-Christian religions or cults. Most people living in the diocese are Buddhists.
As of Dec. 31, 2003, Hung Hoa diocese had 198,000 Catholics, representing about 3.12 percent of the 6,350,000 people living in all or parts of the 10 provinces within the territory of the diocese. The diocese's 11,500 ethnic Catholics include 11,000 H'mong. The rest are Dao, Muong, Thai and Tay people. In 2003, the diocese recorded 4,635 baptisms. Also living in the diocese are members of other Christian denominations and followers of non-Christian religions or cults. Most people living in the diocese are Buddhists.
B. Diocesan and Religious PriestsDiocesan priests: 30
Religious priests: 0
C. Deacons
Transitional: 7 diocesan deacons
D. Religious Brothers, SistersReligious Brothers: 0
Religious Sisters: 115
E. Lay Missionaries, CatechistsLay Missionaries: 0
Catechists: 78 salaried, 1,650 volunteers
F. Seminarians
Diocesan seminarians: 26
Diocesan seminarians: 26
Seminary candidates: 99
G. Deaneries in the diocese:
Son Tay-Hoa Binh-Son La Deanery
Tuyen Quang Deanery
Lao Cai-Lai Chau-Dien Bien Deanery
Yen Bai Deanery
Tay-Nam Phu Tho Deanery
Tay-Bac Phu Tho Deanery
Dong-Nam Phu Tho Deanery
Son Tay-Hoa Binh-Son La Deanery
Tuyen Quang Deanery
Lao Cai-Lai Chau-Dien Bien Deanery
Yen Bai Deanery
Tay-Nam Phu Tho Deanery
Tay-Bac Phu Tho Deanery
Dong-Nam Phu Tho Deanery
H. Parishes:
There are 87 parishes and 452 sub-parishes in 10 provinces.
The diocese has 266 churches, including 11 rebuilt in 2004. However, another 100 churches in the diocese need to be repaired or rebuilt.
Cathedral of Hung Hoa
Inside Hung Hoa Cathedral
The diocese has 266 churches, including 11 rebuilt in 2004. However, another 100 churches in the diocese need to be repaired or rebuilt.
Cathedral of Hung Hoa
Inside Hung Hoa Cathedral
Diocesan Activities and OrganizationsA. Major Diocesan Commissions and OfficialsDiocesan Commission for Clergy and Seminarians: Father Pierre Phung Van Ton
Diocesan Commission for Religious: Father Joseph Nguyen Thai Ha; Father Jean Vu Tat
Diocesan Commission for Laity: Father Joseph Nguyen Van Dinh
Diocesan Commission for Liturgy: Father Antoine Duong Phu Oanh
Diocesan Commission for Holy Music and Arts: Father Jean Dang Van Nghia
Diocesan Commission for Evangelization: Father Antoine Nguyen Gia Nhang
Diocesan Commission for Cultural Affairs: Father Paul Luu Ngoc Lam
Diocesan Commission for Doctrine of the Faith: Father Jean Baptiste Nguyen Van Nhan
Diocesan Commission for Charitable and Social Services: Father Franciscan Xavier Nguyen Van Thai
Diocesan Pastoral Activities:
Re-evangelize Catholics and evangele non-Catholics
Offer training courses to parish and sub-parish council members, catechists, conductors and people who play musical instruments
Build new churches and repair churches in bad condition
Save 500 dong a day in every Catholic family for diocesan charitable activities
Set up funds for scholarships
Encourage and support Religious and priestly vocations
Offer pastoral activities to people in remote areas, especially ethnic H'mong and Muong
Diocesan Commission for Religious: Father Joseph Nguyen Thai Ha; Father Jean Vu Tat
Diocesan Commission for Laity: Father Joseph Nguyen Van Dinh
Diocesan Commission for Liturgy: Father Antoine Duong Phu Oanh
Diocesan Commission for Holy Music and Arts: Father Jean Dang Van Nghia
Diocesan Commission for Evangelization: Father Antoine Nguyen Gia Nhang
Diocesan Commission for Cultural Affairs: Father Paul Luu Ngoc Lam
Diocesan Commission for Doctrine of the Faith: Father Jean Baptiste Nguyen Van Nhan
Diocesan Commission for Charitable and Social Services: Father Franciscan Xavier Nguyen Van Thai
Diocesan Pastoral Activities:
Re-evangelize Catholics and evangele non-Catholics
Offer training courses to parish and sub-parish council members, catechists, conductors and people who play musical instruments
Build new churches and repair churches in bad condition
Save 500 dong a day in every Catholic family for diocesan charitable activities
Set up funds for scholarships
Encourage and support Religious and priestly vocations
Offer pastoral activities to people in remote areas, especially ethnic H'mong and Muong
B. Catholic Educational Institutions
Nurseries run by Religious women: 4
Religious Congregations
Religious Institutes of Women
Lovers of the Holy Cross of Hung Hoa Sisters
(established on Jan. 15, 1943). The general superior is Sister Marie Do Thi Hao.
Address: 15/2, Le Loi ward, Son Tay town, Ha Tay provincePhone: (84) 34-834793
General Characteristics of the Diocese
Hung Hoa diocese, Vietnam's largest diocese in terms of area, borders China and Laos. It covers 48,072 square kilometers and includes the whole provinces of Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Phu Tho, and Son La, as well as parts of Ha Giang, Ha Tay, Hoa Binh and Tuyen Quang provinces. It is a suffragan diocese within the ecclesiastical province of Ha Noi.Hung Hoa diocese was established on April 15, 1895. Bishop Paul Marie Raymond Loc of the Paris Foreign Mission Society (MEP) was ordained its first bishop on Oct. 15 that same year. Bishop Paul Nguyen Huy Quang, Hung Hoa's first Vietnamese bishop, was head of the diocese from 1960 until he died in 1985.The diocese is estimated to have 39 ethnic peoples, but only 16 have been officially recorded. Besides Kinh (majority Vietnamese), who account for 85 percent of the total, there are 15 ethnic peoples, including Bo Y, Dao, Day, Ha Nhi, H'mong, Kho Mu, La Chi, Lao, Muong, Nung, Phu La, San Chay, San Chi, Thai and Tay.
Hung Hoa diocese, Vietnam's largest diocese in terms of area, borders China and Laos. It covers 48,072 square kilometers and includes the whole provinces of Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Phu Tho, and Son La, as well as parts of Ha Giang, Ha Tay, Hoa Binh and Tuyen Quang provinces. It is a suffragan diocese within the ecclesiastical province of Ha Noi.Hung Hoa diocese was established on April 15, 1895. Bishop Paul Marie Raymond Loc of the Paris Foreign Mission Society (MEP) was ordained its first bishop on Oct. 15 that same year. Bishop Paul Nguyen Huy Quang, Hung Hoa's first Vietnamese bishop, was head of the diocese from 1960 until he died in 1985.The diocese is estimated to have 39 ethnic peoples, but only 16 have been officially recorded. Besides Kinh (majority Vietnamese), who account for 85 percent of the total, there are 15 ethnic peoples, including Bo Y, Dao, Day, Ha Nhi, H'mong, Kho Mu, La Chi, Lao, Muong, Nung, Phu La, San Chay, San Chi, Thai and Tay. Last update: Sep 25,2005
Source: UCAN