The Gospel bears fruit among mountainous ethnic minorities in Northern Vietnam

by Andrew Doan Thanh Phong

Păc Năm (Fides News Agency) – Rather than waiting for the local people to come, the priest actively entered their lives. Initially, he went to the local market to converse, build up the relationship with the locals, and invite them to go to the church. Later on, he ventured into the villages for visiting individual families and making friends with them, sharing in daily conversations, and intentionally listening to them. He realized: "to proclaim the Gospel, firstly one must understand the local culture, empathize with people's circumstances, and walk alongside with them". Through those simple encounters, the people gradually grew fond of him, desiring to learn more and opening their hearts to the faith.

Through years of sowing the seeds of the Gospel, nearly 500 people from ethnic groups such as the H’Mông, Tày, Red Dao, and Sán Chí have received the Sacrament of Baptism and officially joined the Church. Particularly in the 2025–2026 period alone, more than 200 ethnic people were baptized.

Then the Catholic community was officially elevated to become a Catholic parish on October 4, 2025. This nascent parish was shepherded by the first pastor, Father Peter Nguyen Quang Doan from the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, is situated approximately 270 kilometers north of the Bac Ninh Bishop's House.

It is one of the most remote and challenging missionary territories within the Diocese of Bac Ninh that spreads a vast mountainous area of roughly 473,64 square kilometers, characterized by steep, hilly terrain and a landscape fragmented into numerous scattered villages in the Northern Vietnam.
The local population consists mainly of Hmong and Tay ethnic groups, alongside other ethnic communities of San Chi and Red Dao people, those who live mainly on agriculture, forestry, and livestock farming for their livelihoods.

In 2021, shortly after the priestly ordination, Father Peter Nguyen Quang Doan was assigned to be the assistant priest to the Bac Kan parish where he specialized in the mission of faith community, and was in charge of the Catholic locality of Păc Năm. At that time, this community did not have its own church, nor land for the pastoral center, therefore Father Peter Doan rented a small house with only one floor used as his private residence and also served as a place for celebrating daily Mass for a tiny congregation just within five families who were migrants from the Red River Delta in Northern Vietnam

And by early 2026, amidst the joy of the entire Catholic community, the church of Păc Năm was inaugurated and used as a shared space for praying, learning the catechism, and celebrating the daily Holy Mass in substitution for a small one - floor house being used for many years. Furthermore, the church is also used to serve as a common place of cultural meeting for people of diverse ethnic groups. The brothers and sisters from ethnic minorities usually come here to share, to talk to each others, and here the indigenous cultures are respected, besides they themselves are accompanied in nourishing their young Catholic faith

And on August 25, 2026, Bishop Joseph Do Quang Khang of the Bac Ninh Diocese paid a pastoral visit to Păc Năm Parish. During the visit, he inaugurated the Saint Gerard Prayer Hall, presided over the blessing of a statue of the Virgin Mary depicted in Hmong ethnic attire, and celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism for 105 catechumens from various ethnic groups, including the Hmong, Tay, Red Dao, and San Chi.
The colorful ethnic dresses together with the bright and joyful faces filled with gentle, sincere smiles by the congregation attending Mass brought into a lovely atmosphere in a manner of solemnity and coziness in this mountainous mission area.
The image of Our Lady of Păc Năm in Her dress of Hmong ethnic people among the community is like a sign of closeness to the local culture and represents an image of the Mother who constantly accompanies, protects, and leads her children to Jesus.

In his homily, Bishop Joseph Do Quang Khang of the Bac Ninh Diocese could not hide his joyfulness as he witnessed these simple, humble souls joining the family of our Church today and said: “Today’s fruit is not merely the result of human effort; it is, above all, a gift of grace from God Who quietly sowed, nurtured, and made the seeds of faith grow up from so many hardships and trials”.

After receiving the Sacraments, the bishop also invited these 105 newly - Baptized individuals to keep their faith on nourishing and growing in order to become witnesses to the Gospel within their own families, villages, and local communities. Their very lives can become a tangible and vibrant proclamation of the Gospel in the environment where they live.
(Fides News Agency, 30/9/2026)

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