Why a papal trip to Vietnam is now possible

Until quite recently, the prospect of a papal visit would have seemed fanciful.

Until quite recently, a papal visit to Vietnam would have seemed fanciful, like a pontifical trip to the North Pole or Mars. But this week, it began to look like a genuine possibility.

The remains of the bell tower of the war-damaged Church of Our Lady of La Vang in Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam. Hoangvantoanajc via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).

That is surpris…