Walking Together: Participation of Persons with Vulnerabilities in the Synodal Process of the Catholic Church in Vietnam

“Synodal Church” has become a keyword in the Church’s gatherings and celebrations, global as well as local, since 2021 when the late Pope Francis launched his vision of XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Living out the spirit of communion – participation – mission together with the Universal Church, the People of God in Vietnam embarked on a journey of listening and discernment between the pastors and the faithful. The Church in Vietnam is making a great effort to extend to the margins and become more inclusive. She invites, encourages and facilitates the participation of all members. This paper presents a critical reflection on how the local Church believes and appreciates the engagement of persons with vulnerabilities: the poor, people with contagious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, orphaned children and people with disabilities, in the life of the Church in Vietnam. In numerous forms and to various extents, these groups of people actively participate in their local parishes around Vietnam. Many of such experiences have been recorded by Diocesan Caritas Organizations and published on their websites. To provide a snapshot, this paper limits itself to reviewing only some examples in Vietnamese published literature and Caritas websites of different dioceses in Vietnam. It provides insights and personal reflections of some participants about the meaning of their contributions in the Church’s activities.