How Vietnam Advances Regional Church Unity in Asia| National Catholic Register

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srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241120131124_e6426272b702f036b809d73e8b214983deb740f55ae95c59e4e79e4ca04bb976.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241120131124_e6426272b702f036b809d73e8b214983deb740f55ae95c59e4e79e4ca04bb976.png" type="image/png"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241120131124_2c489787c976b2ec5c6ad3aba0eabe40c544f79a29eae12fe2d84ed39f215de5.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241120131124_2c489787c976b2ec5c6ad3aba0eabe40c544f79a29eae12fe2d84ed39f215de5.png" type="image/png"> <img src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241120131124_2c489787c976b2ec5c6ad3aba0eabe40c544f79a29eae12fe2d84ed39f215de5.png" alt="(Clockwise from Left) Father Stephen Huyuh Tru, age 82, a Vietnamese priest of Chinese ethnicity, who was ordained in 1974 and served at a church built in 1900 to serve Chinese Catholics living and working in Saigon. Brother Peter Nguyen Viet Bao, age 32, on right, who took final vows with the Marist Brothers last year, talking to Bishop Emeritus Cosmas Hoang Van Dat (2008-2023) of Bac Ninh diocese in Northern Vietnam. Bishop Cosmas was the first Jesuit bishop in the country's history. Sister Tra is a member of Vietnam's largest religious order for women, Lovers of the Holy Cross. On the left, Nguyen Thanh An, a Vietnamese Jesuit in formation chats with Father Ando Isamu, a Spanish-born Jesuit." title="(Clockwise from Left) Father Stephen Huyuh Tru, age 82, a Vietnamese priest of Chinese ethnicity, who was ordained in 1974 and served at a church built in 1900 to serve Chinese Catholics living and working in Saigon. Brother Peter Nguyen Viet Bao, age 32, on right, who took final vows with the Marist Brothers last year, talking to Bishop Emeritus Cosmas Hoang Van Dat (2008-2023) of Bac Ninh diocese in Northern Vietnam. Bishop Cosmas was the first Jesuit bishop in the country's history. Sister Tra is a member of Vietnam's largest religious order for women, Lovers of the Holy Cross. On the left, Nguyen Thanh An, a Vietnamese Jesuit in formation chats with Father Ando Isamu, a Spanish-born Jesuit. "> </picture> <figcaption>(Clockwise from Left) Father Stephen Huyuh Tru, age 82, a Vietnamese priest of Chinese ethnicity, who was ordained in 1974 and served at a church built in 1900 to serve Chinese Catholics living and working in Saigon. Brother Peter Nguyen Viet Bao, age 32, on right, who took final vows with the Marist Brothers last year, talking to Bishop Emeritus Cosmas Hoang Van Dat (2008-2023) of Bac Ninh diocese in Northern Vietnam. Bishop Cosmas was the first Jesuit bishop in the country's history. Sister Tra is a member of Vietnam's largest religious order for women, Lovers of the Holy Cross. On the left, Nguyen Thanh An, a Vietnamese Jesuit in formation chats with Father Ando Isamu, a Spanish-born Jesuit. (photo: Victor Gaetan / National Catholic Register )</figcaption> </figure> <div class="articleMetadata marginTop30"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/author/victor-gaetan">Victor Gaetan</a> </span> <span class="articleMetadata__section"><a href="/section/world">World</a></span> <time class="articleMetadata__info" datetime="2024-11-20T13:40:44-06:00">November 20, 2024</time> </div> <div class="article__text"> <p><i>Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of three articles from Vietnam: </i><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/part-1-vietnam-s-exuberant-catholic-church"><i>Read Part 1 here.</i></a></p> <p><br/></p> <p>HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — While traveling in Vietnam for three weeks, immersing myself in Catholic communities and sacred spaces, I met many impressive young men and women who have dedicated their lives to Christ. </p> <p>So frequently, a day’s highpoint included exchanges in English or French with a young priest or member of a religious order. A pattern emerged as I chatted with these young religious in Vietnam: Most had significant experience in other Asian countries. </p> <p>These pilgrims had lived within the universal Church, as a world with fewer barriers than the secular reality of borders and national tensions. As a result, their Christian outlook is both cosmopolitan and humble. </p> <p>Could this fluidity between Catholic communities in Asia be a source of regional integration? Are emerging Catholic leaders serving as a force for harmony across extraordinarily diverse cultures? </p> <div class="inBodyAd marginBottom30"> <div id='NCR_EN_Article_A'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('NCR_EN_Article_A'); }); </script> </div> </div> <p> </p> <h3><b>Education and Mission</b></h3> <p>Examples support the point, including Brother Peter Nguyen Viet Bao, age 32, who took final vows with the Marist Brothers <a href="https://champagnat.org/en/perpetual-profession-of-brothers-peter-nguyen-viet-bao-and-joseph-nguyen-van-tri/">last year.</a> </p> <p>Brother Peter grew up in a Catholic family living in a poor region of central Vietnam. Missionaries came to his parish in 2009, and he decided to join them a year later, at age 18, because “I was impressed by their spirit.” </p> <p>As part of his formation, Brother Peter spent two years in the Philippines, two years in Sri Lanka, then back to Philippines for another two years. In Sri Lanka, he was mentored by Archbishop Pierre Nguyên Van Tot, who served in the Vatican Diplomatic Corps and recently retired. </p>  <figure><img src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241120131128_6a3c815c03069849c81cdcdd18af37b1e4df83bcf2d3767cc9f4d03cd24cf300.png" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241120131128_6a3c815c03069849c81cdcdd18af37b1e4df83bcf2d3767cc9f4d03cd24cf300" data-rendition-name="original" width="934" height="622" loading="lazy" alt="Brother Peter Nguyen Viet Bao, age 32, on right, who took final vows with the Marist Brothers last year, talking to Bishop Emeritus Cosmas Hoang Van Dat, SJ (2008-2023) of Bac Ninh diocese in Northern Vietnam. Bishop Cosmas was the first Jesuit bishop in the country's history. Three hundred priests and 10,000 faithful attended his ordination Mass outdoors in the square in front of the bishop's house, including 100 leprosy patients from 13 leprosariums across the country because Cosmas spent extensive time with people suffering this disease."><figcaption>Brother Peter Nguyen Viet Bao, age 32, on right, who took final vows with the Marist Brothers last year, talking to Bishop Emeritus Cosmas Hoang Van Dat (2008-2023) of Bac Ninh diocese in Northern Vietnam. Bishop Cosmas was the first Jesuit bishop in the country's history. <span>(Photo: Victor Gaetan)</span></figcaption></figure>  <p>Brother Peter speaks excellent English, perfected in the Philippines. As a result, he is a great fixer/translator for delegations that come to Vietnam, such as a group I traveled with: Japanese humanitarians led by Jesuit Father Ando Isamu, who founded a “Japan-Vietnam” initiative to raise money and support micro-finance programs, scholarships and individuals in need. </p> <p>Another member of the “Japan-Vietnam” group was Nguyen Thanh An, age 33, a Jesuit in formation (he called himself a “scholastic”) born in a coastal province in southern Vietnam who now lives in Tokyo and expects to be ordained next year. </p> <div class="inBodyAd marginBottom30"> <div id='NCR_EN_Article_B'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('NCR_EN_Article_B'); }); </script> </div> </div> <p>After three years of study within the Jesuit Vietnam Province, he was sent to Japan in 2018. An describes himself as a “missionary to Japan.” His brother is also a Jesuit priest who spent several years as a missionary in neighboring Laos, where the Catholic population of 100,000 <a href="https://napa-institute.org/a-trip-of-faith-vietnam-singapore-laos-and-cambodia/">has grown 100%</a> since 2015. Catholics now comprise 1.3% of the Laotian population.   </p> <p>Some observers explained to the Register<i> </i>that Vietnam is a poor country, and the Church struggles financially so local vocations often receive scholarships to study abroad. Upon their return to Vietnam, they bring experiences that enrich the life of the local Church.</p> <p>“Philippines is well known for its majority-Catholic population,” said Brother Peter. “Many Vietnamese religious men and women go there for theology since there are so many Catholic institutions for religious studies.”</p> <p>In one sense, this movement is a “natural thing,” observed Father John Worthley, <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/mother-teresa-s-secret-missions-in-china-full-disclosure">a legendary China expert</a> and priest of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York. “In one country, [like Japan] bishops need priests, and in another [like Vietnam], there are many vocations but not the finance to support them.” </p> <div class="inBodyAd marginBottom30"> <div id='NCR_EN_Article_C'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('NCR_EN_Article_C'); }); </script> </div> </div> <p>“But fundamentally,” he continued, what’s happening in Asia “is primarily the Holy Spirit guiding the universal Church.” </p> <p> </p> <h3><b>Supportive Bishops</b></h3> <p>Besides the Holy Spirit, an explanation lies in the extraordinary unity one finds among the bishops of Asia.</p> <p>Some 130 bishops from 27 member counties spent close to three weeks with each other two years ago in Bangkok. Under the banner “Journeying Together as Peoples of Asia,” the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/five-takeaways-from-the-asian-bishops-jubilee-conference">convened its first general assembly</a> in 52 years. Many sessions were devoted to learning more about the diverse realities faced by the Church, from poverty in Pakistan to climate disasters in Myanmar to the <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/interview/church-s-youngest-cardinal-hopeful-for-papal-visit-to-mongolia">newness of faith in Mongolia</a>.</p> <p>FABC was founded when Pope Paul VI visited Manila, Philippines, in 1970, and 180 Asian bishops came to meet the Holy Father. From the start, the federation dedicated itself to evangelization, which became “New Evangelization” in 2012. </p> <p>In 2022, FABC called “for the Church in Asia to greater participation, integration and transformation by promoting a culture of encounter” — a commitment one sees clearly in Vietnam. </p> <div class="inBodyAd marginBottom30"> <div id='NCR_EN_Article_D'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('NCR_EN_Article_D'); }); </script> </div> </div> <p>Evangelization was often mentioned by young priests I met. “Many young Vietnamese priests and women religious are devoting themselves to serving in other countries, especially countries with few vocations,” observed An, the young Jesuit who is doing exactly that. “I think it shows the commitment of the Church to evangelization, an important mission and nature of the Church,” he added.</p> <p>Since evangelization and regional collaboration are central to the bishops’ federation, it’s natural to find them encouraging cross-fertilization of local Churches. </p> <p>Father Anton Quan Ganh studied in Korea, where the Catholic Church is well established and influential<a href="https://ebook.cbck.or.kr/gallery/view.asp?seq=214999">. About 11%</a> of the Korean people are Catholic faithful, while in the nation’s National Assembly, 27% of representatives <a href="https://www.ucanews.com/news/s-korea-has-more-catholic-lawmakers-than-ever/104870">currently are Catholic</a>.</p> <p>While in Korea, Father Ganh joined the <a href="http://brotherhood.or.kr/">Clerical Congregation of Blessed Korean Martyrs</a>, founded in 1953 as the country’s first Indigenous religious order. </p> <p>“The bishops and priests here in Vietnam have been very welcoming when I came home as a member of this new [for Vietnam] order,” said Father Ganh, adding that the bishop of Bắc Ninh helped incorporate him into the life of the diocese. </p> <p>Not just priests but lay Catholics benefit from the encouragement of regional exchange.</p> <div class="inBodyAd marginBottom30"> <div id='NCR_EN_Article_E'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('NCR_EN_Article_E'); }); </script> </div> </div> <p>In Japan, earlier this year, I met groups of Korean pilgrims visiting Catholic sites in Nagasaki despite historical tension between the two countries stemming from the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945. </p> <p>According to Cardinal-elect Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, who <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/tokyo-s-cardinal-elect-kikuchi">spoke to the Register</a> last April, Korean and Japanese bishops explicitly decided to encourage pilgrimages and exchanges as a way to advance harmony between the nations.</p> <p><b> </b></p> <h3><b>Chinese Catholics in Vietnam</b></h3> <p>But it would be a mistake — and historically superficial — to portray Asian Catholic communities as only recently interacting with each other and moving between countries. </p> <p>For one thing, the very story of founding Church missionaries such as St. Francis Xavier is an account of cross-cultural transit. The saint traveled in the 16th century to India, Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia and died in 1552 on an island off the Chinese mainland.</p> <div class="inBodyAd marginBottom30"> <div id='NCR_EN_Article_F'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('NCR_EN_Article_F'); }); </script> </div> </div> <p>In Ho Chi Minh City, in a neighborhood known as Cholon, I met an extraordinary Church community and group of priests at St. Francis Xavier Church. It was built in 1900 for the local Chinese Catholic community. To this day, the 5:30 p.m. weekday Mass and two Masses on Sundays are offered in Cantonese. </p> <p>The church itself is being entirely renovated, so closed for worship (parishioners and priests pay for repairs and renovation, not the state), and a large outdoor pavilion is used for Mass. But Father Vincent Co Dien Thanh brought me into the nave to see a tragic, historic site: the pew where President Ngo Dinh Diem, a Catholic daily communicant, elected in 1955, <a href="https://catholiceducation.org/en/culture/two-catholic-presidents-and-the-escalation-of-the-vietnam-war.html">prayed before being murdered</a>, with his brother, Nhu, on All Souls’ Day in 1963. </p>  <figure><img src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241120131136_6c75b9bdc9e2a0d383502f2e33c3b208d6710dfcef8aa3a6aa9b4cad53d10b44.png" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20241120131136_6c75b9bdc9e2a0d383502f2e33c3b208d6710dfcef8aa3a6aa9b4cad53d10b44" data-rendition-name="original" width="934" height="622" loading="lazy" alt="St. Francis Xavier Church was built in 1900 for Catholic Chinese working in Saigon. Today it still has at least one Mass in Cantonese each day. It's a tragic historic site too: On All Soul's Day in 1963, South Vietnam's Catholic president, Ngo Dinh Diem, came to pray as a military coup was underway. Outside the church, his enemies arrested him and murdered him while transporting him and his brother. Extensive evidence ties the U.S. government to the plot to overthrow Diem. Today, he is honored, his death day is marked, and the church renovation will include a plaque marking the pew where he spent his last day on earth."><figcaption>St. Francis Xavier Church was built in 1900 for Catholic Chinese working in Saigon. Today it still has at least one Mass in Cantonese each day.<span>(Photo: Courtesy photo)</span></figcaption></figure>  <p>Shockingly, books such as <a href="https://ignatius.com/the-lost-mandate-of-heaven-lmhp/"><i>The Lost Mandate of Heaven: The American Betrayal of President Ngo Dinh Diem</i></a><i> </i>(Ignatius Press, 2015) by Catholic military historian Geoffrey Shaw, demonstrate that Diem’s assassination was a macabre upshot of a coup approved by the U.S. government. Diem’s ancestors were among the country’s earliest converts to Catholicism in the 17th century. Before his election, he visited Rome during the Holy Year of 1950 and had an audience with Pope Pius XII. </p> <p>“Yes, President Diem came to St. Francis Xavier on his last day, as he often did. He was friendly with the French pastor here, Father Gabriel Lajeune,” Father Stephen Huyuh Tru, age 82, told the Register while we sat in his kitchen, just 20 feet from the church. “We have a procession to <a href="https://www.ucanews.com/news/despite-intimidation-south-vietnams-diem-remembered/80696">President Diem’s gravesite</a> each Nov. 2.”</p> <div class="inBodyAd marginBottom30"> <div id='NCR_EN_Article_G'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('NCR_EN_Article_G'); }); </script> </div> </div> <p>Father Tru grew up in the church’s neighborhood and served as an altar boy there. Ordained in 1974, he still lives on church grounds with his sister.</p> <p>Father Tru, who is ethnically Chinese, had been a priest at St. Francis Xavier for just a year when South Vietnam fell in 1975 to Ho Chi Minh’s army from the North. “Everything was on fire. Many houses near the church burned but the church was untouched.” </p> <p>The conquering communist government also closed neighboring Catholic schools and Church newspapers and forbid public processions, but priests continued to say Mass. “It was a very difficult time,” the priest told the Register in French.</p> <p>“Today, we are thriving: 1,000 people attend Mass each week, although more Vietnamese than Chinese come,” Father Tru reported.</p> <div class="inBodyAd marginBottom30"> <div id='NCR_EN_Article_H'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('NCR_EN_Article_H'); }); </script> </div> </div> <p>Meanwhile, Father Lajeune fits the Asian transnational Church pattern: He remained in Saigon until 1976, but pressure on him was intense. He <a href="https://irfa.paris/en/missionnaire/3902-lajeune-gabriel/">moved to Hong Kong</a>, where his ministry continued for over 40 years, until his death in 2018.</p> </div> <ul class="article__keywords"> <li>Keywords: </li> <li><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/tag/catholics-in-vietnam">catholics in vietnam</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/tag/church-in-asia">church in asia</a></li> </ul> <div class="authorMetadata"> <figure class="authorMetadata__image"><img src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/authors/victor-gaetan_16522f9cae6fd50326a4c50e1589d33dcf074ec8.jpg" alt="Victor Gaetan"></figure> <div class="authorMetadata__info"> <p><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/author/victor-gaetan">Victor Gaetan</a> Victor Gaetan is a senior correspondent for the National Catholic Register, focusing on international issues. He also writes for <a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/authors/victor-gaetan">Foreign Affairs magazine</a>, <a href="https://spectator.org/bio/victor-gaetan/">The American Spectator</a> and the <a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com">Washington Examiner</a>. He contributed to Catholic News Service for several years. The Catholic Press Association of North America has given his articles four first place awards, including Individual Excellence, over the last five years. Gaetan received a license (B.A.) in Ottoman and Byzantine Studies from Sorbonne University in Paris, an M.A. from the Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy, and a Ph.D. in Ideology in Literature from Tufts University. His book <em>God’s Diplomats: Pope Francis, Vatican Diplomacy, and America’s Armageddon</em> was published by Rowman & Littlefield in July 2021. Visit his website at <a href="https://www.victorgaetan.org">VictorGaetan.org</a>.</p> </div> </div>  <div id='NCR_EN_Slider'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('NCR_EN_Slider'); }); </script> </div> <button class="article__commBtnHide" style="display:none;">Toggle Comments</button> <div id="coral_thread" class="article__comms"> <button class="article__commBtn marginBottom10">Show Comments <span class="coral-count article__commsCou nt" data-coral-id="118990" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/news/part-2-how-vietnam-advances-regional-church-unity-in-asia" data-coral-notext="true"></span></button> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> $("#coral_thread button").on("click", function() { var d = document, s = d.createElement('script'); s.src = 'https://ncregister.coral.coralproject.net/assets/js/embed.js'; s.async = false; s.defer = true; s.onload = function() { Coral.createStreamEmbed({ id: "coral_thread", autoRender: true, rootURL: 'https://ncregister.coral.coralproject.net', // Uncomment these lines and replace with the ID of the // story's ID and URL from your CMS to provide the // tightest integration. 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This statue stands in St. Joseph Cathedral in Hanoi; at a children’s Mass in the Diocese of Bac Ninh’s Queen of the Rosary Cathedral, a priest engages students as part of his homily; on the grounds of the Saigon Archdiocese’s Pastoral Center, a splendid church stands in the shadow of skyscrapers, signifying the city’s dramatic growth. A white fountain with a statue of Pope John Paul II playing with two children stands in front of the church." title="Clockwise from left: Our Lady of La Vang is a Vietnamese image of Mary based on a Marian apparition in 1798 when a group of Catholics hid in the jungle to avoid persecution. This statue stands in St. Joseph Cathedral in Hanoi; at a children’s Mass in the Diocese of Bac Ninh’s Queen of the Rosary Cathedral, a priest engages students as part of his homily; on the grounds of the Saigon Archdiocese’s Pastoral Center, a splendid church stands in the shadow of skyscrapers, signifying the city’s dramatic growth. A white fountain with a statue of Pope John Paul II playing with two children stands in front of the church. "> </picture> </a> </figure> <h3 class="articleGrid__headline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/part-1-vietnam-s-exuberant-catholic-church">Seeing Is Believing: Vietnam’s Exuberant Catholic Church</a></h3> <div class="mainArticle__teaser"> <p>ANALYSIS: The vitality of the local Catholic community is evident throughout the communist nation.</p> </div> <div class="articleMetadata"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/author/victor-gaetan">Victor Gaetan</a></span> <a href="/section/world">World</a> <a class="articleMetadata__comments articleMetadata__info" href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/part-1-vietnam-s-exuberant-catholic-church#coral_thread"> <span class="coral-count" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/news/part-1-vietnam-s-exuberant-catholic-church" data-coral-notext="true"></span> </a> </div> </article> <article class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12"> <figure class=" icon icon--cna"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/11-vietnamese-christians-missing-from-detention-amid-religious-freedom-concerns"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024071009074_4bbbf962a4d4521e1819101afe6d4b76e15115d43dea073a84fc363aa750989a.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024071009074_4bbbf962a4d4521e1819101afe6d4b76e15115d43dea073a84fc363aa750989a.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024071009074_4bbbf962a4d4521e1819101afe6d4b76e15115d43dea073a84fc363aa750989a.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="lazyload" data-src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024071009074_4bbbf962a4d4521e1819101afe6d4b76e15115d43dea073a84fc363aa750989a.jpg" alt="The front of the Phat Diem Cathedral, Vietnam." title="The front of the Phat Diem Cathedral, Vietnam. "> </picture> </a> </figure> <h3 class="articleGrid__headline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/11-vietnamese-christians-missing-from-detention-amid-religious-freedom-concerns">11 Vietnamese Christians Missing From Detention Amid Religious Freedom Concerns</a></h3> <div class="mainArticle__teaser"> <p>The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has consistently raised concerns about religious freedom in Vietnam.</p> </div> <div class="articleMetadata"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline">AC Wimmer/CNA</span> <a href="/section/world">World</a> <a class="articleMetadata__comments articleMetadata__info" href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/11-vietnamese-christians-missing-from-detention-amid-religious-freedom-concerns#coral_thread"> <span class="coral-count" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/11-vietnamese-christians-missing-from-detention-amid-religious-freedom-concerns" data-coral-notext="true"></span> </a> </div> </article> <article class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12"> <figure class=" icon icon--news"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/washington-and-the-vatican-strengthening-diplomatic-ties-with-hanoi-for-different-reasons"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2023091813094_9596f4dd1a83635a30549482a83c0ae604797a77f45dad48bd91f63575a46074.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2023091813094_9596f4dd1a83635a30549482a83c0ae604797a77f45dad48bd91f63575a46074.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2023091813094_9596f4dd1a83635a30549482a83c0ae604797a77f45dad48bd91f63575a46074.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="lazyload" data-src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2023091813094_9596f4dd1a83635a30549482a83c0ae604797a77f45dad48bd91f63575a46074.jpg" alt="President Joe Biden (6th from L) and Vietnam's Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (4th from R) hold talks in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Sept. 10, 2023. " title="President Joe Biden (6th from L) and Vietnam's Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (4th from R) hold talks in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Sept. 10, 2023. "> </picture> </a> </figure> <h3 class="articleGrid__headline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/washington-and-the-vatican-strengthening-diplomatic-ties-with-hanoi-for-different-reasons">Washington and the Vatican Strengthening Diplomatic Ties With Hanoi — for Different Reasons</a></h3> <div class="mainArticle__teaser"> <p>NEWS ANALYSIS: Devout Vietnamese Catholics pray it helps their nation.</p> </div> <div class="articleMetadata"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/author/victor-gaetan">Victor Gaetan</a></span> <a href="/section/vatican">Vatican</a> <a class="articleMetadata__comments articleMetadata__info" href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/washington-and-the-vatican-strengthening-diplomatic-ties-with-hanoi-for-different-reasons#coral_thread"> <span class="coral-count" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/news/washington-and-the-vatican-strengthening-diplomatic-ties-with-hanoi-for-different-reasons" data-coral-notext="true"></span> </a> </div> </article> <article class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12"> <figure class=" icon icon--cna"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/catholics-in-vietnam-ask-pope-francis-to-visit-their-country-next"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2023090711098_4addac4ef2282b4a1ae6b0844c65d8a4cfef0965e8bbb4e74cb598bf1e890302.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2023090711098_4addac4ef2282b4a1ae6b0844c65d8a4cfef0965e8bbb4e74cb598bf1e890302.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2023090711098_4addac4ef2282b4a1ae6b0844c65d8a4cfef0965e8bbb4e74cb598bf1e890302.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="lazyload" data-src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2023090711098_4addac4ef2282b4a1ae6b0844c65d8a4cfef0965e8bbb4e74cb598bf1e890302.jpg" alt="Catholics from Vietnam at Mass with Pope Francis in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Sept. 3, 2023." title="Catholics from Vietnam at Mass with Pope Francis in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Sept. 3, 2023. "> </picture> </a> </figure> <h3 class="articleGrid__headline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/catholics-in-vietnam-ask-pope-francis-to-visit-their-country-next">Catholics in Vietnam Ask Pope Francis to Visit Their Country Next</a></h3> <div class="mainArticle__teaser"> <p>Vietnam and the Holy See have never had full diplomatic relations, a usual prerequisite for a papal trip, but Vietnamese Catholics remain convinced that a papal visit could have a positive impact on the situation facing Christians in the socialist country.</p> </div> <div class="articleMetadata"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline">Courtney Mares/CNA</span> <a href="/section/vatican">Vatican</a> <a class="articleMetadata__comments articleMetadata__info" href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/catholics-in-vietnam-ask-pope-francis-to-visit-their-country-next#coral_thread"> <span class="coral-count" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/catholics-in-vietnam-ask-pope-francis-to-visit-their-country-next" data-coral-notext="true"></span> </a> </div> </article> </div> </div> <div id="#tab2" class="tab__content"> <div class="articleGrid articleGrid--twoColumns"> <article class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12"> <figure class=" icon icon--commentary"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/laffin-next-ag-must-restore-trust"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241123101148_47f1af409f50a528e0860e9ebf3e9c22837a7d17323adeb899fda32aba4fb8ce.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241123101148_47f1af409f50a528e0860e9ebf3e9c22837a7d17323adeb899fda32aba4fb8ce.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241123101148_47f1af409f50a528e0860e9ebf3e9c22837a7d17323adeb899fda32aba4fb8ce.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="lazyload" data-src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241123101148_47f1af409f50a528e0860e9ebf3e9c22837a7d17323adeb899fda32aba4fb8ce.jpg" alt="Florida’s former attorney general Pam Bondi speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting on Feb. 23 in National Harbor, Maryland." title="Florida’s former attorney general Pam Bondi speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting on Feb. 23 in National Harbor, Maryland. "> </picture> </a> </figure> <h3 class="articleGrid__headline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/laffin-next-ag-must-restore-trust">Next Attorney General Must Restore Trust, Not Seek Retribution</a></h3> <div class="mainArticle__teaser"> <p>Commentary: The de-politicization of the Department of Justice, not its reverse politicization, should be the order of the day.</p> </div> <div class="articleMetadata"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/author/peter-laffin">Peter Laffin</a></span> <a href="/section/commentaries">Commentaries</a> <a class="articleMetadata__comments articleMetadata__info" href="https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/laffin-next-ag-must-restore-trust#coral_thread"> <span class="coral-count" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/laffin-next-ag-must-restore-trust" data-coral-notext="true"></span> </a> </div> </article> <article class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12"> <figure class=" icon icon--cna"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/couples-find-sacramental-marriages-in-god-s-perfect-timing"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112306114_464d97c485d826cbc593c5b05fe2c0e1fb55244ff2bea4b29858ec70895ce0b6.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112306114_464d97c485d826cbc593c5b05fe2c0e1fb55244ff2bea4b29858ec70895ce0b6.png" type="image/webp"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112306114_464d97c485d826cbc593c5b05fe2c0e1fb55244ff2bea4b29858ec70895ce0b6.png" type="image/webp"> <img class="lazyload" data-src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112306114_464d97c485d826cbc593c5b05fe2c0e1fb55244ff2bea4b29858ec70895ce0b6.png" alt="A groom flashes a peace sign at wedding-goers while processing out of St. Mary’s Church in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, after having his marriage sacramentally blessed at the Marriage Mass on Oct. 19, 2024." title="A groom flashes a peace sign at wedding-goers while processing out of St. Mary’s Church in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, after having his marriage sacramentally blessed at the Marriage Mass on Oct. 19, 2024. "> </picture> </a> </figure> <h3 class="articleGrid__headline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/couples-find-sacramental-marriages-in-god-s-perfect-timing">Couples Find Sacramental Marriages ‘in God’s Perfect Timing’</a></h3> <div class="mainArticle__teaser"> <p>In total 121 couples had their marriages convalidated this year in the archdiocese, a substantial increase from last year’s 42.</p> </div> <div class="articleMetadata"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline">Nicholas Elbers/The B.C. Catholic</span> <a href="/section/news">News</a> <a class="articleMetadata__comments articleMetadata__info" href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/couples-find-sacramental-marriages-in-god-s-perfect-timing#coral_thread"> <span class="coral-count" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/couples-find-sacramental-marriages-in-god-s-perfect-timing" data-coral-notext="true"></span> </a> </div> </article> <article class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12"> <figure class=" icon icon--cna"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/ukrainian-archbishop-encourages-trump-to-go-to-ukraine"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112307118_23a94d6135faf1c53dadf1f159466f33e8e37ff5af34257c916015c67c9279c8.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112307118_23a94d6135faf1c53dadf1f159466f33e8e37ff5af34257c916015c67c9279c8.png" type="image/webp"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112307118_23a94d6135faf1c53dadf1f159466f33e8e37ff5af34257c916015c67c9279c8.png" type="image/webp"> <img class="lazyload" data-src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112307118_23a94d6135faf1c53dadf1f159466f33e8e37ff5af34257c916015c67c9279c8.png" alt="Archbishop Boris Godziak, Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archiparagi of Philadelphia." title="Archbishop Boris Godziak, Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archiparagi of Philadelphia. "> </picture> </a> </figure> <h3 class="articleGrid__headline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/ukrainian-archbishop-encourages-trump-to-go-to-ukraine">Ukrainian Archbishop Encourages Trump to Go to Ukraine</a></h3> <div class="mainArticle__teaser"> <p>Hundreds of thousands have been killed as a result of the Russian invasion, with more than 14 million people forced to leave their homes.</p> </div> <div class="articleMetadata"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline">Kate Quiñones/CNA</span> <a href="/section/world">World</a> <a class="articleMetadata__comments articleMetadata__info" href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/ukrainian-archbishop-encourages-trump-to-go-to-ukraine#coral_thread"> <span class="coral-count" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/ukrainian-archbishop-encourages-trump-to-go-to-ukraine" data-coral-notext="true"></span> </a> </div> </article> <article class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12"> <figure class=" icon icon--cna"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/skull-of-st-thomas-aquinas-to-visit-washington-dc-on-international-tour"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112305110_af7c9f97ebc7b0e38fb72dc02c89d9c1586ca14fb598602572a9f521b65a37b3.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112305110_af7c9f97ebc7b0e38fb72dc02c89d9c1586ca14fb598602572a9f521b65a37b3.png" type="image/webp"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112305110_af7c9f97ebc7b0e38fb72dc02c89d9c1586ca14fb598602572a9f521b65a37b3.png" type="image/webp"> <img class="lazyload" data-src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/2024112305110_af7c9f97ebc7b0e38fb72dc02c89d9c1586ca14fb598602572a9f521b65a37b3.png" alt="The relics of St. Thomas Aquinas are kept in Toulouse, France, where the Dominican order was founded." title="The relics of St. Thomas Aquinas are kept in Toulouse, France, where the Dominican order was founded. "> </picture> </a> </figure> <h3 class="articleGrid__headline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/skull-of-st-thomas-aquinas-to-visit-washington-dc-on-international-tour">Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas to Visit Washington, DC, On International Tour</a></h3> <div class="mainArticle__teaser"> <p>Friday’s event will begin with a solemn Mass celebrated by Cardinal Wilton Gregory, archbishop of Washington, followed by an opportunity to venerate the relics.</p> </div> <div class="articleMetadata"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline">Madalaine Elhabbal/CNA</span> <a href="/section/nation">Nation</a> <a class="articleMetadata__comments articleMetadata__info" href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/skull-of-st-thomas-aquinas-to-visit-washington-dc-on-international-tour#coral_thread"> <span class="coral-count" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/skull-of-st-thomas-aquinas-to-visit-washington-dc-on-international-tour" data-coral-notext="true"></span> </a> </div> </article> </div> </div> <div id="#tab3" class="tab__content"> <div class="articleGrid articleGrid--twoColumns"> <article class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12"> <figure class=" icon icon--blog"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/saints-and-art-st-rafal-kalinowski"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241121101128_82d672e411ad16506d490700b0462580d51218e76f23b26b6cbaa5c006bfe44c.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241121101128_82d672e411ad16506d490700b0462580d51218e76f23b26b6cbaa5c006bfe44c.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241121101128_82d672e411ad16506d490700b0462580d51218e76f23b26b6cbaa5c006bfe44c.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="lazyload" data-src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241121101128_82d672e411ad16506d490700b0462580d51218e76f23b26b6cbaa5c006bfe44c.jpg" alt="Aleksander Sochaczewski, “Morning,” 1897" title="Aleksander Sochaczewski, “Morning,” 1897 "> </picture> </a> </figure> <h3 class="articleGrid__headline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/saints-and-art-st-rafal-kalinowski">St. Rafał Kalinowski, Pray for Us!</a></h3> <div class="mainArticle__teaser"> <p>SAINTS & ART: The spiritual influence of Kalinowski (1835-1907) was marked on Karol Wojtyła, the future St. John Paul II, who canonized him in 1991.</p> </div> <div class="articleMetadata"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/author/john-grondelski">John Grondelski</a></span> <a href="/section/blogs">Blogs</a> <a class="articleMetadata__comments articleMetadata__info" href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/saints-and-art-st-rafal-kalinowski#coral_thread"> <span class="coral-count" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/saints-and-art-st-rafal-kalinowski" data-coral-notext="true"></span> </a> </div> </article> <article class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12"> <figure class=" icon icon--blog"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/brugger-dmq-marriage-on-city-streets"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241118151136_031498b25799d96e231f44c0b9f9ffa2ebd84a8676a68635a1e1dda52cfd09ef.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241118151136_031498b25799d96e231f44c0b9f9ffa2ebd84a8676a68635a1e1dda52cfd09ef.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241118151136_031498b25799d96e231f44c0b9f9ffa2ebd84a8676a68635a1e1dda52cfd09ef.jpg" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="lazyload" data-src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241118151136_031498b25799d96e231f44c0b9f9ffa2ebd84a8676a68635a1e1dda52cfd09ef.jpg" alt="‘Just Married’" title="‘Just Married’ "> </picture> </a> </figure> <h3 class="articleGrid__headline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/brugger-dmq-marriage-on-city-streets">May a Catholic Get Married on the Streets of New York City?</a></h3> <div class="mainArticle__teaser"> <p>DIFFICULT MORAL QUESTIONS: What are the conditions under which a layperson may witness a marriage? And is it licit to celebrate a marriage ceremony outside of a church?</p> </div> <div class="articleMetadata"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/author/e-christian-brugger">E. Christian Brugger</a></span> <a href="/section/blogs">Blogs</a> <a class="articleMetadata__comments articleMetadata__info" href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/brugger-dmq-marriage-on-city-streets#coral_thread"> <span class="coral-count" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/brugger-dmq-marriage-on-city-streets" data-coral-notext="true"></span> </a> </div> </article> <article class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12"> <figure class=" icon icon--blog"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/pearce-this-is-the-meaning-of-life-in-a-nutshell"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20200826210824_6e7caee147f971d1a8fa6d4927fc470cdbd542f898ed1e92a095b1211529ed38.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20200826210824_6e7caee147f971d1a8fa6d4927fc470cdbd542f898ed1e92a095b1211529ed38.jpeg" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20200826210824_6e7caee147f971d1a8fa6d4927fc470cdbd542f898ed1e92a095b1211529ed38.jpeg" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="lazyload" data-src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20200826210824_6e7caee147f971d1a8fa6d4927fc470cdbd542f898ed1e92a095b1211529ed38.jpeg" alt="John 18:37-38: “So Pilate said to him, ‘Then you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?’”" title="John 18:37-38: “So Pilate said to him, ‘Then you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?’” "> </picture> </a> </figure> <h3 class="articleGrid__headline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/pearce-this-is-the-meaning-of-life-in-a-nutshell">This Is the Meaning of Life in a Nutshell</a></h3> <div class="mainArticle__teaser"> <p>The end of the world is when we die but the end of the world is not the end of us.</p> </div> <div class="articleMetadata"> <span class="articleMetadata__byline"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/author/joseph-pearce">Joseph Pearce</a></span> <a href="/section/blogs">Blogs</a> <a class="articleMetadata__comments articleMetadata__info" href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/pearce-this-is-the-meaning-of-life-in-a-nutshell#coral_thread"> <span class="coral-count" data-coral-url="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/pearce-this-is-the-meaning-of-life-in-a-nutshell" data-coral-notext="true"></span> </a> </div> </article> <article class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12"> <figure class=" icon icon--blog"> <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/marcum-st-agnes-of-assisi"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241119131144_cc88639f9ede0c1d0c604725ace4c5889dd6657379bf4c29cbd745381b0fac0e.webp" type="image/webp"> <source media="(max-width: 680px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241119131144_cc88639f9ede0c1d0c604725ace4c5889dd6657379bf4c29cbd745381b0fac0e.png" type="image/png"> <source media="(min-width: 681px)" data-srcset="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241119131144_cc88639f9ede0c1d0c604725ace4c5889dd6657379bf4c29cbd745381b0fac0e.png" type="image/png"> <img class="lazyload" data-src="https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20241119131144_cc88639f9ede0c1d0c604725ace4c5889dd6657379bf4c29cbd745381b0fac0e.png" alt="António de Oliveira Bernardes, “Arrival of Saint Agnes of Assisi at the Convent,” 1697. Painting in the Church of Saint Clare, in Évora, Portugal." title="António de Oliveira Bernardes, “Arrival of Saint Agnes of Assisi at the Convent,” 1697. Painting in the Church of Saint Clare, in Évora, Portugal. 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