Pope Francis appoints coadjutor bishop in Vietnam ‎

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has appointed a coadjutor bishop to the Diocese of Da Lat in southern Vietnam.  Fr. Dominic Nguyen Van Manh, the Judicial Vicar of  Dal Lat is its coadjutor, under Bishop Antoine Vu Huy Chuong.  Unlike an auxiliary bishop, a coadjutor bishop has the right to succession in the case of the retirement, resignation or death of the current bishop. 

Sixty-one year old Coadjutor Bishop-designate Manh was born on August 12, 1955 a Can Tho.  He studied at the Simon Hoa Minor Seminary of Da Lat, 1966 to 1973.  He then did his philosophy and theology at the St. Pius Pontifical College from 1973 to 1977 in the same diocese.  He continued in the college serving as supervisor until 1980.  After his ordination on May 29, 1994, he was assigned the following responsibilities.

1994-2003:  Assistant parish priest at Tan Hoa, Bao Loc

2003-2009: Sudied Canon Law at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, Italy.  

2006 - ...: Judicial Vicar of Da Lat Diocese.

Established by St. Pope John XXIII on November 24, 1960, Da Lat is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Hochiminh Ville.  Spread across an area of 8.764 sqm, the diocese cares for 377.492 Catholics out of a total population of a little more than 1.2 million.  The faithful spread across 96 parishes are served by 290 priests, 275 men religious and 932 nuns.  Seventy-six seminarians are preparing themselves for priesthood.