Catholic Nuns’ Visit to Buddhist Monastery in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, Draws Criticism

About 100 Catholic nuns from the Theology Institute of the Inter-Congregations of Lovers of the Holy Cross visited the Minh Dang Quang Buddhist Monastery in Ho Chi Minh City on October 26, according to UCA News. Redemptorist Father Peter Dinh Ngoc Lam, a theology lecturer, led the group with Sister Lucy Nguyen Thuy Hoang Oanh. Infovaticana described the group as nearly a hundred nuns who visited the monastery to learn about Buddhist teachings as part of a day of rapprochement with that tradition.

Venerable Thich Minh Son introduced the participants to basic principles of Buddhist meditation. According to the reports, the nuns received explanations of basic Buddhist prayers, practiced seated meditation, and asked questions about Buddhist teachings and monastic life.

Photographs of the visit later circulated on social media. UCA News reported that the images led to sharply divided reactions within the Catholic community.

Redemptorist Father Peter Nguyen Van Khai, a Vietnamese priest, publicly criticized the participation. He said Catholics should not practice another religion’s rituals at its place of worship. According to UCA News, Khai said the nuns offered incense and prayed before a statue of Buddha, and he considered these acts incompatible with Catholic faith and morals. Infovaticana, citing UCA News, reported the same account. The reports attribute these specific claims about the incense and prayer to Khai’s account; neither report independently confirms the details of those acts.

Father Joseph Pham Quoc Thuan of Xuan Loc Diocese responded that the visit was part of a theology course comparing Buddhist teachings with Catholic faith. He urged Catholics not to rush to judgment, a counsel that echoes the wisdom of Proverbs 18:17 about hearing the whole matter before deciding.