Paul Tran was born into a Catholic family but had not attended a church for decades until 2021. The 76-year-old is one of the most active Catholics in his village, Chieng Pha Phong Lai, a mission station in Vietnam’s mountainous Son La province.
“I have found heady joy in living out my faith life since I met my parish priest for the first time two years ago,” said the farmer.
Just like Tran, hundreds of people, both lapsed Catholics and people without a professed faith, join the Church every year in the area where practicing religion was once prohibited, Church sources said.
Tran credits his return to the Church to the pastoral visit of the parish priest, Father Joseph Nguyen Van Thanh, in 2021.
He recalled that when he moved to the area from Nam Dinh province after his wedding in 1971, most people were not practicing any religion because of government restrictions.
I have found heady joy in living out my faith life since I met my parish priest for the first time two years ago
Paul Tran
As there was no Christian Church or priest at the time, Tran also followed no religion. But two years ago, Father Nguyen came to his home with some Catholics. The priest asked his companions to fix power lines at Tran’s home. They had a pleasant conversation and the priest invited him to attend Mass, he recounted.
Tran now attends Sunday Mass regularly at the house of a local Catholic family. Recently, he also gifted an electronic organ to the mission station.
“It is my penance for abandoning my faith life” as “it will help people to get closer to God through singing hymns,” Tran said.
Mission to find the lost sheep
Father Nguyen, who began the re-evangelization efforts in Son Lam, explained that the majority of Catholics active in the mission are like Tran, and stopped practicing their faith decades ago.
Until a decade ago, Christianity was banned in the three provinces of Dien Bien, Hoa Binh, and Son La. It was only in 2015 that Catholic priests were allowed to live there.
But the new Catholic communities established in these provinces are growing steadily, Church data from 2022 shows.
Father Nguyen, who began the re-evangelization efforts in Son Lam, explained that the majority of Catholics active in the mission are like Tran, and stopped practicing their faith decades ago
Currently, the three provinces have 13 parishes and more than 100 sub-parishes and mission centres with a total of 16,000 Catholics served by 20 priests.
Each year, some 500 people join the Church, despite state restrictions.
For example, the government has approved only one parish in each province. Other parishes remain “unrecognised” and are allowed to hold religious activities based on certain conditions.
Religious activities should be restricted to their worship places and a list of participants should be given to the government. They should also report their annual plans to local authorities. The Church is also not permitted to own properties.
Despite restrictions, Catholics are growing in numbers as seen in Son La, Vietnam’s third-largest province. Although religion was once banned, the province now has 9,000 Catholics in its eight parishes served by 12 priests.
Annually, some 300 people are welcomed into the faith in Son La, Church sources said.
Father Nguyen, who was assigned to Son La Parish in 2021, explained that in the 1970s government sent hundreds of people to these sparsely populated areas aiming for their development. The government also banned religions, forcing most to abandon their faith.
Despite restrictions, Catholics are growing in numbers as seen in Son La, Vietnam’s third-largest province. Although religion was once banned, the province now has 9,000 Catholics in its eight parishes served by 12 priests
In 2005, the government allowed just one priest—Father Joseph Nguyen Trung Thoai—to visit and work in Son La after Bishop Anthony Vu Huy Chuong of Hung Hoa secured permission from the local government. Later, more priests were allowed.
As part of the re-evangelisation efforts “we visit homes, offer them material and spiritual support, and live in harmony among them,” said Father Nguyen, who heads the Evangelisation Committee of the Diocese of Hung Hoa.
The evangelisation and re-evangelisation of the provinces where people live in poverty, lack facilities, and have limited access to pastoral care are the top priority for the local Church, the priest said.
Dialogue breaks the ice
Father Joseph Nguyen Ngoc Ngoan, the first pastor of Dien Bien Parish in the neighbouring Dien Bien province, said the province has 3,000 Catholics from four parishes but the government recognises only his parish.
“Our priority is to offer them plenty of opportunities to attend religious activities,” said Father Nguyen, who started working in the province in 2016.
He said local priests need to travel on steep winding roads to reach people in far-flung areas, some of them more than 200 kilometres away from the parish.
We attempt to engage in direct dialogue with local authorities to convince them that we work also to save people from drug abuse, human trafficking, child marriage, and other social evils
Father Nguyen
“We attempt to engage in direct dialogue with local authorities to convince them that we work also to save people from drug abuse, human trafficking, child marriage, and other social evils,” he said.
The government ignores local Hmong communities who gather at people’s houses for prayers as Hmong are not yet recognised. Government officials watch them closely to prevent their gatherings from causing social disorder.
Dien Bien province, which borders China and Laos, is home to at least 16 ethnic groups.
A Hmong, Joseph Giang A Sinh, from Nam Bo Parish, 200 kilometres from Dien Bien Parish, said local Catholics were not allowed to gather for prayers until 2018. It changed after Father Nguyen began regular pastoral visits, he said.
The priest built five wooden chapels for people and sent a priest to reside with local Catholics. The community can now avail of clean water and some 100 students get free accommodation and food in Church-run facilities.
The parish serves 1,800 members from five sub-parishes and two mission stations.
“Local people and government authorities enjoy a friendly relationship, so we hold religious work without any problems,” the father of six said. “We hope our parish will be soon approved by the government.” UCAN
