Over 100 Vietnamese Catholics are set to convene in Bangkok, Thailand, for an international conference on migration and mission from Dec. 3 to 5.
The conference, titled “The Journey of Faith and the Mission of the Vietnamese Catholic Migrants in Proclaiming the Good News,” will gather Vietnamese Catholic priests, religious, and lay leaders from around the world.
Co-organized by the Asian Research Center for Religion and Social Communication at St. John’s University Bangkok and the Pastoral Committee for Vietnamese Migrants of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand, the gathering aims to highlight migration as one of the most urgent pastoral and missionary concerns of the Church today.
Fr. Anthony Le Duc, SVD, ARC executive director, told LiCAS News that the conference “comes at a pivotal moment as Vietnamese Catholics now form one of the fastest-growing migrant communities in many parts of the world, and their presence is reshaping Church life from Asia to North America and Europe.”
He said the event seeks to harness that momentum by bringing together leading theologians, pastoral workers, and community leaders from Vietnam, the United States, Italy, Germany, Thailand, Taiwan, and Papua New Guinea.
“The forum will probe key questions driving the Church’s engagement with migrants: How does this migration contribute to the Church’s renewal? How can Vietnamese migrants embody their calling as missionary disciples in foreign lands? And how can both sending and receiving Churches collaborate more intentionally to support these communities?” Fr. Le Duc explained.
With one week remaining, organizers have announced a lineup of speakers who will lead the main sessions, grounding the migrant experience in theology and practical mission:
∙ Fr. Peter C. Phan of Georgetown University, a theologian and one of the world’s leading voices on migration and mission, will explore how human mobility challenges and enriches the Church’s identity.
∙ Fr. Cao Gia An, SJ, of the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, will connect the migrant experience to biblical narratives of journey, hope, and promise.
∙ Fr. Nguyễn V. Viên, SCJ, U.S. provincial of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, will present new findings on the growing presence of Vietnamese clergy and religious in the United States.
∙ Fr. Giuse Nguyễn Hải Phương, OP, of Thailand’s Migrant Pastoral Committee, will highlight missionary opportunities emerging from the vibrant Vietnamese Catholic community in Thailand.
∙ Fr. Giuse Hồ Anh Tuấn, SVD, of Germany, will examine faith as heritage and mission for second- and third-generation migrants.
∙ Fr. Antôn Phạm Trọng Quang, SVD, of Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan, will discuss the role of Vietnamese priests and religious as “migrant missionary disciples” in the Taiwan context.
The conference will combine keynote presentations with interactive discussions, pastoral workshops, daily Eucharistic celebrations, and opportunities to engage with Thailand’s local Catholic communities. Archbishop Peter B. Wells, apostolic nuncio to Thailand, is expected to address participants during the opening session.
“The ultimate goal is to strengthen the global pastoral network that connects Vietnamese clergy and lay leaders who are scattered across continents but united by a shared mission,” Fr. Le Duc said. “With Vietnamese priests and religious now serving in mission territories worldwide, the conference aims to foster greater collaboration and to affirm the Vietnamese Church’s increasingly influential role in global Catholic life.”
The story of Vietnamese migration remains a story of faith on the move. By gathering leaders from such diverse settings, the Bangkok conference underscores the Church’s commitment to accompany migrants with compassion, solidarity, and shared purpose, standing as “a sign of unity in a fragmented world — and a reminder that migration, more than movement across borders, is a movement of faith, hope, and mission.”
