New Vietnamese bishop urges religious freedom

09:14 a.m. Jun 29, 1998 Eastern

ROME, June 29 (Reuters) - The new archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City said on Monday Vietnam should allow complete religious freedom and called for greater unity among the Catholics in his diocese.

``The law should change in our country and allow total freedom of religion, but that's up to others as we unfortunately cannot do it,'' Bishop Jean Baptiste Pham Minh Man told the Vatican's news agency Fides.

Man also acknowledged that the Vietnamese government and the Catholic Church both wanted to improve relations after the visit of a papal delegation in February.

``The two delegations have the wish and the will to improve their relationship,'' he said.

Man was among the bishops who received the pallium from Pope John Paul on Monday. The pallium (vestment) symbolises the unity between the bishops and Rome.

Man was installed as archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City in April after the post had been vacant for five years following Hanoi's refusal to agree to an earlier appointment by the Vatican.

The vacancy had affected both clerics and laymen, Man told Fides.

``Five years without a bishop led to what Jesus said at the last supper: Strike the shepherd and the sheep will stray,'' he said.

``I myself feel that we need to bring the diocese and unity back in order,'' he added.