Welcome Speech to H.E. Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli

Welcome Speech to

H.E. Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, Pontifical Representative for Vietnam

Given by Caodaists from Bàu Sen Temple on Wednesday 05 October 2011

Dear

- Most Reverend Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, Pontifical Representative for Vietnam;

- Your Eminence Cardinal John the Baptist Phạm Minh Mẫn, Archbishop of HCMC Archdiocese;

- Reverend Francis Xavier Bảo Lộc, Head of Commission for Interfaith Dialogues;

- Reverend Representatives of various religions;

- Reverend Priests and Nuns;

- Brothers and Sisters,

First of all, we would like to express our gratitude to Your Eminence Cardinal Phạm Minh Mẫn and the Archbishop’s Residence for this significant opportunity so that we can be here today in this unforgetable meeting.

Your Excellency Archbishop, the Pontifical Representative,

We are the humble Caodaists from little Bàu Sen temple, where a formal celebration of Christmas has been annually observed for almost half a century.

Visiting our country four times, on several pastoral journeys to even the remotest parishes from Northern to Southern Vietnam, you specially expressed your love for God’s children, especially ethnic groups living in the Central Highlands and northern mountainous provinces like Cao Bằng, Lạng Sơn, and Hà Giang.

Deeply impressed with this event, we truly understand that your presence and religious activities in our beloved country simultaneously convey the spiritual image and love of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

The Most Reverend Archbishop,

As a token of our reverence for the Papal Representative here today, it is our honour to offer Your Excellency a series of four books on the foundation of Caodaism in Vietnam in the beginning of the previous century.

May you please accept these humblest bilingual books (Vietnamese and English) as our particles of sand contributed to the path of interfaith dialogues opened by the late Pope John Paul II.

This righteous path has been being paved better and better in our City by the Commision for Interfaith Dialogues under the guidance and support given by His Eminence Cardinal and the Archbishop’s Residence.

Indeed, today’s historic meeting itself is a very persuasive evidence for the fresh fruit and flowers harvested through the interfaith dialogues activities of the Archdiocese.

Your Excellency,

Having strong faith in God’s plan for His children on earth, we Caodaists wholeheartedly pray to our Heavenly Father for the success of every Pontifical mission you are carrying out in Singapore, East Timor, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and other Asean countries.

 

Hue Khai (Caodaist) and Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli

 

Huệ Khải