SW News: Catholic believers in Vietnam are outraged after local communist authorities disrupted the celebration of Holy Mass in Central Highlands. The Eucharist was disrupted on March 22 by officials after they alleged that it was being conducted in what they called an “illegal chapel”.

Fr Francis Xavier Le Tien Tien of Dak Giac parish in Kontum Diocese was offering Mass in Dak Nong commune when communist officials barged into the hall and told him to stop what he was doing. A video clip that went viral on social media showed 10 officials from the communist party office ordering the priest to stop the Mass. Some of them clicked photos and recorded videos of the priest and the congregation amid the commotion.

Claiming to be the vice-chairman of the People’s Committee, which is the local unit of the party, a man asked Fr Tien “What are you doing here? Where are you from?” He then ordered the priest to be present for an inquiry at the Committee headquarters in Dak To district.

Despite the fact that some members of the congregation pleaded with the official to allow them to complete the Mass, they refused to comply. One female official snatched the Missal from the altar and the others turned off the lights. They said it was just a house and not an authorized place of worship.

In a statement issued by the Kontum Diocese, Fr Thaddeus Vo Xuan Son, who heads the diocesan Communication Committee said the authorities acted in a shameful way and “disrupted the sanctity of Mass. He added that this act has left Catholics around the world offended.

The priest added that everyone has the responsibility to protect the sacredness of Holy Mass and “no one has the right to offend God”. He visited the offended believers and Fr Tien.

There are allegations that in Dak To district, the local communist authorities are not forthright in granting permits to construct houses of worship. So when Christians gather in the so-called illegal chapels for prayer and Mass, they often crack the whip.