Letter of Thanksgiving to Dr. Tomasz Atłas, Secretary of Polish Episcopal Council and The Redemptorist Provincial Order of Poland

Sydney Australia Feb 1, 2010
Dear Fr. Tomasz Atłas, Secretary of Polish Episcopal Council and The Redemptorist Provincial Order of Poland

Dear Reverends,

From Polish Catholic News Agency KAI we have learned that the upcoming Thursday, February 4 will be the Polish National Day of Prayer for Vietnamese Catholics who are victims of persecution in Vietnam. This precious, innovative idea of the Missionary Committee of the Polish Episcopal Council has been such a source of encouragement, comfort and a great communion for the Vietnamese Church and our country in general. This loving gesture also provides the much needed encouragement, comfort and a communion for the faithful of Dong Chiem, as well as of Loan Ly, Thai Ha, and Bau Sen parishes in their current ordeal. These parishioners represent the Mystical Body of Christ, our brothers and sisters. They are facing a brutal and dramatic persecution brought on by the Vietnamese government.

We, on behalf of the Federation of Vietnamese Catholic Mass Media, would like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to the great Polish Catholic Church and the Polish Redemptorist Order which have been continuously offering prayers in a spririt of communion with the pain and suffering of the faithful in Hanoi Archdiocese in particular and of the Vietnamese Church in general. How painful it was when we heard about this news “The Vietnamese Communist government had used explosives to blow up the Dong Chiem crucifix, a symbol of Faith for billions of people worldwide.” This was an act of challenging the conscience of all Catholics as father Tomasz Atłas has publicly shared with the world.

In addition, we are grateful for Fr. Thomas Atłas' announcing to the world the specific actions actively taken by the Polish Catholics to share, pray and be in communion with our Church and our country of Vietnam: “we cannot remain indifferent. We invite everyone to be involved in our initiative, "chain of hearts", whose aim is to provide spiritual support for the Church in Vietnam and firm opposition to repression and religious persecution, whose expression is the e-mails, letters and calls addressed to the Vietnamese diplomatic mission in our country"

The specific activities have spoken volume about the best in terms of communion the Church and our country of Vietnam can receive, especially for the parishioners in Dong Chiem, Con Dau, Thai Ha, Loan Ly, and Bau Sen who are right now going through such misery and confusion.

Once again, the Federation of Vietnamese Catholic Mass Media would like to thank you, father Tomasz Atłas, the great church of Poland and the Polish Redemptorist Order for your continuous prayers, communion, and companionship offered to our Church and country of Vietnam in this very difficult circumstance.

May our God of love and Peace, through the Intervention of Our Lady of La Vang, bestows grace and blessings upon you, the Church of Poland, and the Polish Redemptorist order always.

In Christ,

Rev. Paul Van Chi Chu.
The Federation of Vietnamese Catholic Mass Media
Tel: (02) 97730933
Mobile: 0410 552 650
Email: paulvanchi@yahoo.com