The visit of nearly a hundred Catholic nuns to a Buddhist monastery in Vietnam has sparked debate among the country’s faithful after images circulated showing the sisters participating in religious practices specific to Buddhism. The encounter, held on October 26 in Ho Chi Minh, has drawn criticism from a Redemptorist priest, who recalls that certain gestures performed during the day are incompatible with the Catholic faith.
According to UCA News reported, the nuns belong to the Theological Institute of the Inter-Congregations of the Lovers of the Holy Cross and visited the Minh Dang Quang monastery to learn about Buddhist teachings and participate in a day of rapprochement with this religious tradition.
During the visit, the nuns received explanations about the basic principles of Buddhist prayers and practiced seated meditation. The controversy arose after photographs of the activity began circulating on the internet, raising questions about the extent of the nuns’ participation in the rites of another religion.
A Redemptorist priest questions gestures of worship before Buddha
Father Peter Nguyen Van Khai, a Vietnamese Redemptorist priest, publicly questioned the nuns’ participation in certain acts performed during the visit.
According to UCA News, the priest considers it especially problematic that the nuns offered incense and prayed before a statue of Buddha, gestures that, in his view, cannot be equated with a simple activity of knowledge or interreligious dialogue.
«Subjective good intentions are not enough to justify an action that is objectively incompatible with the faith,» the religious stated.
For Father Nguyen Van Khai, the issue does not lie in the nuns having visited a Buddhist monastery or received information about its beliefs, but in their participation in practices that may have a religious and cultic significance.
His statements have contributed to opening a discussion among Vietnamese Catholics about the difference between respect for other religious traditions and active participation in their ceremonies.
Interreligious dialogue and the limits of participation in other cults
The Catholic Church recognizes the importance of dialogue with followers of other religions. The conciliar declaration Nostra aetate, promulgated by Saint Paul VI in 1965, encourages Catholics to recognize and respect the spiritual and moral values present in other traditions.
The document specifically refers to Buddhism and states that the Church does not reject what is true and holy in other religions. At the same time, it reaffirms that the Church proclaims Jesus Christ as «the way, the truth, and the life.»
This distinction lies at the center of the controversy that has arisen in Vietnam. While knowledge of Buddhist beliefs may be part of a formative activity or dialogue, participation in acts of worship raises different questions from the perspective of Catholic doctrine.
The debate has focused especially on the offering of incense and prayer before an image of Buddha, practices that the Redemptorist priest considers incompatible with the profession of the Christian faith.
A reference monastery for Vietnamese Buddhism
The visit took place at the Minh Dang Quang monastery, located in the Thủ Đức district of Ho Chi Minh. The complex is an important center for Buddhist formation and practice and constitutes the central temple of the Khất sĩ order, a Vietnamese religious tradition.
The nuns who participated in the activity belong to the formative environment of the Lovers of the Holy Cross, a family of women’s congregations with a long presence in Vietnam.
Their origin dates back to 1670, when the missionary bishop Pierre Lambert de la Motte promoted the foundation of this religious community, which played an important role in the development of consecrated female life in the country.
Another debate on Buddhism and Catholic formation
The Vietnamese controversy comes just days after another initiative related to rapprochement with Buddhism from Catholic institutions became known.
In Italy, the Archdiocese of Milan has included an online course on Buddhism among the activities preparing for World Youth Day 2027.
Although these are different initiatives, both have raised questions about religious formation and the limits of interreligious dialogue.
In the case of Vietnam, the criticisms are directed specifically at the nuns’ participation in gestures of a cultic nature. The controversy remains open after the dissemination of the images and the statements of Father Nguyen Van Khai.