Although the situation seems to have improved for Catholics in Vietnam, human rights groups claim that other denominations and religions continue to face discrimination.
The US Government has claimed that Vietnam systematically violates religious freedom, especially in ethnic-minority highland areas. They claim there has been the imprisoning of religious clergy, among them leaders of minority-based Protestant churches and the elderly leaders of a Buddhist sect, which has been banned.
Officials in Vietnam have denied that discrimination takes place, saying that laws have been updated in order to prevent the coercion of religious followers.
Nguyen Thi Bach Tuyet, a member of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs said that: "Vietnamese citizens have the freedom to choose their religion. All religions are equal under the law."
It seems that ordinary Catholics feel free to worship in Vietnam. The BBC spoke to one anonymous young man working on Church refurbishment.
The man said: "I don't think there's any discrimination from the government." The young man also expressed his desire to become a priest one day.
Church leaders in Vietnam have said that the Government has recognised the role religion can play in social development.
Ms Nguyen said that: "It's quite common that religious followers are also Party members,"
The easing of religious restriction has seen the growth in the church in Vietnam, more churches are being built and there are more priests to give mass.
The reverend Phuc spoke of growth of the Church saying: "In the past 10 years, almost every year a new church is built. I can't keep track."
In one church the congregation acquired a full-time priest only in 2004. Before that priests would often have to cycle between parishes in order to give the church services.
A BBC reporter spoke to one of the churches attendants, an 89-year-old retired farmer. She spoke of how she spent her afternoons at the church: "I come here and I read my bible. Then I go home."
