Diocesan Officials
A. Ordinary of Phat Diem Diocese
Bishop Joseph Nguyen Van Yen was born on Dec. 26, 1942, at Vinh Tri parish in Nam Dinh province's Y Yen district, which is under the administration of Ha Noi archdiocese. After his priestly ordination on June 26, 1977, he was ordained coadjutor Bishop of Phat Diem on Dec. 16, 1988. He succeeded the late Bishop Paul Bui Chu Tao of Phat Diem as bishop of the diocese on Nov. 3, 1998.
A. Ordinary of Phat Diem Diocese
Bishop Joseph Nguyen Van Yen was born on Dec. 26, 1942, at Vinh Tri parish in Nam Dinh province's Y Yen district, which is under the administration of Ha Noi archdiocese. After his priestly ordination on June 26, 1977, he was ordained coadjutor Bishop of Phat Diem on Dec. 16, 1988. He succeeded the late Bishop Paul Bui Chu Tao of Phat Diem as bishop of the diocese on Nov. 3, 1998.
Address: The Bishop's House, 75 Phat Diem Dong, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam
Phone: (84) 30 862058 - 862617
Fax: (84) 30 862724
Email: tgmpdiem@hn.vnn.vn
Previous Ordinaries
Previous Ordinaries
Bishop Paul Bui Chu Tao (1959-1998)
Coadjutor Bishop Joseph Nguyen Thien Khuyen (1977-1981)
Coadjutor Bishop Joseph Le Quy Thanh (1964-1974)
Bishop Tadeus Le Huu Tu (1945-1954)
Coadjutor Bishop John Marie Phan Dinh Phung (1939-1944)
Bishop John Baptist Nguyen Ba Tong (1935-1944)
Bishop Alexandre Jean Pierre Marcou Thanh, MEP (1902-1935)
B. Other Diocesan Officials
Vicar General: Father Joseph Tran Ngoc Van
Vicar General: Father Joseph Tran Ngoc Van
Address: Ninh Binh Church, Thanh Binh ward, Ninh Binh town, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam
Phone: (84) 30 860954
Secretary: Father Pierre Tran Quang Duc
Secretary: Father Pierre Tran Quang Duc
Address: The Bishop's House, 75 Phat Diem Dong, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam
Phone: (84) 30 721756 - 862058Fax: (84) 30 862724
Email: tgmpdiem@hn.vnn.vn
Procurator: Father Pierre Vu Duc Phuong
Procurator: Father Pierre Vu Duc Phuong
Address: The Bishop's House, 75 Phat Diem Dong, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam
Phone: (84) 912 011964
Advisory Committee:
Bishop Joseph Nguyen Van Yen
Father Jean Baptiste Dinh Cong Dung
Father Joseph Tran Van Khoa
Father Antoine Nguyen Tam Tu
Father Antoine Phan Van Tu
Advisory Committee:
Bishop Joseph Nguyen Van Yen
Father Jean Baptiste Dinh Cong Dung
Father Joseph Tran Van Khoa
Father Antoine Nguyen Tam Tu
Father Antoine Phan Van Tu
Statistics
A. Catholic Population
As of Dec. 31, 2005, Phat Diem diocese had 152,285 baptized Catholics, including 6,000 Muong ethnic Catholics, representing 16.5 percent of the 920,127 people in the territory. In 2005, it recorded 274 adult baptisms and 2,386 infant baptisms (under one year old). It also recorded 1,674 marriages between baptized Catholics and 260 marriages between a baptized Catholic and a non-Catholic. Other religions include Buddhism and a few other Christian groups.
People in the Diocese
Baptized Catholics: 152,285 or 16.5%
Followers of other religions: Buddhists and a few non-Catholic Christians
B. Diocesan and Religious Priests
Diocesan priests: 47 Kinh (Vietnamese majority) priests and one Muong ethnic priest
Diocesan priests: 47 Kinh (Vietnamese majority) priests and one Muong ethnic priest
Religious Priests: 1 Cistercian
C. Religious Brothers , Sisters
Religious Brothers: 28
Religious Brothers: 28
Religious Sisters: 113 (including 4 Muong ethnics)
D. Catechists
Volunteers: 784
Volunteers: 784
E. Seminaries
Major seminarians: 34
Major seminarians: 34
Seminary candidates: 75
F. Seminaries and Institutes
The diocese does not have any seminary or institute. Before 1954, it had Thuong Kiem Major Seminary and Phuc Nhac Minor Seminary, which have been used as education facilities by the government.
The diocese does not have any seminary or institute. Before 1954, it had Thuong Kiem Major Seminary and Phuc Nhac Minor Seminary, which have been used as education facilities by the government.
G. Deaneries
The diocese has nine deaneries with 69 parishes and some 340 subparishes.
The diocese has nine deaneries with 69 parishes and some 340 subparishes.
It also has 69 parish churches and some 300 subparish churches or chapels. The rest of the subparishes do not have any chapels.
The Phat Diem Cathedral complex with Oriental architecture was built 1875-1898
The Church of Cistercians is located in Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh provinceDiocesan
The Phat Diem Cathedral complex with Oriental architecture was built 1875-1898
The Church of Cistercians is located in Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh provinceDiocesan
Activities and Organizations
A. Major Diocesan Commissions and Organizations
The altar area at Phat Diem Cathedral
Committee for Charitable and Social Affairs
Convener: Father Antoine Phans Van Tu
Committee for Clergy and Seminarians
Convener: Father Pierre Vu Dai Dong
Committee for Cultural Affairs
Convener: Father Pierre Nguyen Hong Phuc
Committee for Doctrine of the Faith
Convener: Father Joseph Tran Van Khoa
Committee for Evangelization
Convener: Father Vincente Nguyen Van Phuong
Committee for Holy Music and Arts
Convener: Antoine Doan Minh Hai
Committee for Laity
Convener: Father Jean Baptiste Dinh Cong Dung
Committee for Liturgy
Convener: Father Pierre Vu Dai Dong
Committee for Religious
Convener: Father Pierre Vu Duc Phuong
The altar area at Phat Diem Cathedral
Committee for Charitable and Social Affairs
Convener: Father Antoine Phans Van Tu
Committee for Clergy and Seminarians
Convener: Father Pierre Vu Dai Dong
Committee for Cultural Affairs
Convener: Father Pierre Nguyen Hong Phuc
Committee for Doctrine of the Faith
Convener: Father Joseph Tran Van Khoa
Committee for Evangelization
Convener: Father Vincente Nguyen Van Phuong
Committee for Holy Music and Arts
Convener: Antoine Doan Minh Hai
Committee for Laity
Convener: Father Jean Baptiste Dinh Cong Dung
Committee for Liturgy
Convener: Father Pierre Vu Dai Dong
Committee for Religious
Convener: Father Pierre Vu Duc Phuong
B. Catholic Social Welfare
Three day care centers are run by local Lovers of The Holy Cross Sisters
Three day care centers are run by local Lovers of The Holy Cross Sisters
C. Social Communications
1 library exists
1 library exists
D. Pastoral Activities
-Retreats and catechism courses are annually organized by the bishop and priests during Lent in parishes
-The bishop's house also provides poor students with free courses in music, offers youths vocational training in sewing, and lends funds to poor people so that they can earn their living by doing small businesses, growing crops or rearing animals
-The diocesan library adjacent to the bishop's house has been serving local people from all walks of life
-The diocese deepens local Catholics' faith life through pastoral activities among 24 parish-based active lay associations
-It has also been building churches or chapels that were ruined during wars
-It plans to ask for the local government's permission to found 10 new parishes in 2007
-Retreats and catechism courses are annually organized by the bishop and priests during Lent in parishes
-The bishop's house also provides poor students with free courses in music, offers youths vocational training in sewing, and lends funds to poor people so that they can earn their living by doing small businesses, growing crops or rearing animals
-The diocesan library adjacent to the bishop's house has been serving local people from all walks of life
-The diocese deepens local Catholics' faith life through pastoral activities among 24 parish-based active lay associations
-It has also been building churches or chapels that were ruined during wars
-It plans to ask for the local government's permission to found 10 new parishes in 2007
Religious Congregations, Societies and Institutes
A. Religious Institutes of Men
Order of Cistercians of Chau Son
Head of the order: Cistercian Father John Pham Van Hung
Address: Phu Son village, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam
Phone: (84) 30 866416
Email: johnhungcs@yahoo.com
Order of Cistercians of Chau Son
Head of the order: Cistercian Father John Pham Van Hung
Address: Phu Son village, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam
Phone: (84) 30 866416
Email: johnhungcs@yahoo.com
B. Religious Institutes of Women
Lovers of the Holy Cross Congregation of Phat Diem
Address of the mother house: Luu Phuong village, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam
Phone: (84) 30 862231
Lovers of the Holy Cross Congregation of Phat Diem
Address of the mother house: Luu Phuong village, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam
Phone: (84) 30 862231
General Characteristics of the Diocese
Phat Diem diocese was founded on April 2, 1901, but the seeds of the Gospel were introduced to the region as early as 1627 by Paris Foreign Mission (MEP) missioners.The Phat Diem Cathedral complex with Oriental architecture, was built 1875-1898 under the supervision of the late Father Tran Luc. The main church itself was completed in 1891 long before it became the diocesan cathedral. Father Luc, also the designer of the wood and stone compound, served as the church's pastor until he died in 1899.
The church is surrounded by four chapels, and in front of it lies Father Luc's tomb. Between the tomb and a lake with a big statue of Christ the King in the middle of it stands a bell tower also in Oriental style.Behind the church and the chapels are various grottos. At the far left corner of the complex is another stone chapel.In 1988, Vietnam's Ministry of Culture and Information declared the cathedral complex a national cultural and historical site.In recent years, the cathedral complex has become a pilgrimage site for Catholics throughout the country and also a tourist site for foreigners.Some other churches in the diocese were also built in Oriental style.In addition to beautiful caves, there are relics of the old capital of Vietnamese Kings (968-1010) and their temples in the diocese.The late Bishop Jean Baptiste Nguyen Ba Tong, who was the first Vietnamese-ordained coadjutor bishop of the diocese on June 11, 1933, became the first native bishop of the diocese on Oct. 20, 1935.
The diocese has an area of 1,786.77 square kilometers and covers the whole of Ninh Binh province and Lac Thuy district of Hoa Binh province.In addition to Kinh (majority Vietnamese), there is only the Muong ethnic group residing in the diocesan territory.The climate is hot and cold with a yearly average temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. Its annual precipitation is 2,000 millimeters.
Last Update: November 2, 2006
Source: UCAN