HANOI (UCAN): Authorities in Son La province in the northwest of Vietnam, have finally recognised the parish of Moc Chau, in the Diocese of Hung Hoa, 30 years after Catholics first gathered there to pray in Christmas of 1991.
Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Vien, apostolic administrator of Hung Hoa, presided at a special Mass to mark the establishment of the parish on November 6. He was joined by Emeritus Bishop John Marie Vu Tat, 21 priests and many people, including representatives from local authorities and Buddhists who offered large bouquets of flowers .
Bishop Nguyen said God performs terrific things in the parish, the first officially approved by the government in a province that has eight parishes.
He said that Moc Chau, which was established in 2015 by Bishop Vu, had grown thanks to many priests, religious and locals who overcame numerous grave difficulties to form and build Catholic communities over the decades.
He called on people to trust in one another, promote a culture of thanksgiving as God always loves them, and to do God’s will in their daily lives.
Bishop Nguyen also appointed Father Joseph Nguyen Cong Binh as the first parish priest for Moc Chau, where he has served since 2018.
The parish has 240 families with 885 members in four sub-parishes and two mission stations in the two districts of Moc Chau and Van Ho.
Peter Nguyen Van Nha, head of the parish council, said that in 1991 some Catholics gathered to pray and sing carols on Christmas Eve at a family’s house for the first time as they had no Mass. They then regularly gathered to say prayers and share their joys and sorrows with one another on Sunday evenings and solemn feasts.
In 2003, 39 Catholics attended Bishop Anthony Vu Huy Chuong’s episcopal ordination at Bishop’s House in Hung Hoa and came into contact with Church leaders.
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“The starting point of building the local community was when Bishop Vu and two priests paid a brief, first visit to them on Christmas Day in 2005,” Nguyen explained. The bishop also started to meet and discuss religious issues with provincial authorities.
In 2006, Father Joseph Nguyen Trung Thoai started to provide pastoral activities for three communities at people’s homes. Priests from other places also visited and offered services to them.
As a result, many Catholic communities were established. The province now has eight—Son La, Huoi Mot, Chieng Khoong, Muong La, Mai Son, Yen Chau, Phu Yen and Moc Chau.
A total of 8,000 Catholics have resident priests and five parishes are served by the sisters of the Lovers of the Holy Cross.
Nguyen said that Catholics in the province hope the local government will soon recognise the other seven parishes so that they can build facilities and foster their faith life.
Son La province is the last place in Vietnam to approve religious activities.
