By the gift of the Spirit, the Father of the Anointed One, Jesus Christ Our Lord, gathers people of every race, land, and language into the One Body of faith, hope, and love. This Body, the Church, is endowed with many gifts, ministries and offices so that it may be a sacrament of reconciliation and peace to all the nations.

On this first day of July in the year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Eight, in the fourth year of the pontificate of Our Holy Father Benedict XVI, in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, California, we recognize and give thanks to God for the grace of communion and mutual service that has been given to us.

In the blessed communion of all the Local Churches throughout the world, today we joyfully announce and celebrate the joining of the Archdiocese of Saigon and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as Sister Dioceses. May the bond between us grow strong through the exchange of gifts, especially the gift of prayer and of mutual support. Together may we enter more deeply into the communion in One Love, and by the gift of the Spirit given to us, let every tongue proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Signed,
Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man, Archbishop of Saigon
Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles
Reverend Peter Kham Nguyen, Director, Saigon Archdiocesan Pastoral Center
Dr. Michael Downey, Cardinal's Theologian, Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Dated July 1, 2008
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels,
Los Angeles