Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
My Tho (Agenzia Fides) - In the Diocese of My Tho, in South Vietnam, the parishes are fairly poor, located in rural or mountainous areas. Many Catholics live far from a church and must walk several kilometers in order to attend Mass or receive the Sacraments.
The parish church of Vinh Hung is one of these rural churches. It was officially established in 2006 and serves an extremely poor and underdeveloped area located on the border with Cambodia. It is located in an area that lacks almost any kind of educational facilities and health assistance. There are no schools or hospitals and the youth are, for the most part, unemployed.
There are nearly 1,400 Catholics living in this area, who have not even been able to celebrate Sunday Mass for years, and have no place where they can gather together to pray. Until 2006, they were obliged to walk nearly 60 km, in order to attend the church in Moc Hoa, where there is a priest and they could hear Mass. In 2006, the Catholics began building a small chapel, on their own initiative. And together, they have now also built a small parish hall for catechism classes and formation activities, especially for children and young people.
Today, the parish priest of Vinh Hung hopes to turn the simple building into a proper facility for catechesis and formation courses. The parish priest has already obtained permissions from civil authorities to continue construction, a cause for joy among the entire local community. All the local Catholics are actively participating in the project, each one contributing his share of work, knowledge, and materials. However, the Vinh Hung community is also in need of external aid. Their project will continue, thanks to donations from other Vietnamese Catholics, as well as contributions from “Aid to the Church in Need.” Bishop Paul Bui Van Doc of My Tho has made an appeal to the faithful of his diocese, asking that they collaborate in helping the poor and the small rural parishes that are most in need. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 18/4/2008; righe 26, parole 340)
