Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Ho Chi Minh City (Agenzia Fides) - In Vietnam vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life continue to flourish and seminaries are filled as an increasing number of young people decide to dedicate their lives to Christ.
The Congregation of the Salesians, followers of St Don Bosco, has announced that with financial help from Salesian provinces of China, Japan, Korea and the Philippines and the Apostles of Don Bosco Association in the United States a new Novitiate has been built at Ba Thon, in the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City. According to the Salesian news agency ANS the Novitiate has accepted 35 young men. The Salesian community in Ba Thon started as a small parish in 1975; it gradually grew and opened a small Oratory and Professional training Centre, the structures are used by a local school. Later a Salesian dispensary and hospital were opened and now there is a Novitiate. Vietnam has the highest number of novices in the East Asian-Oceania Salesian region. Young Vietnamese men fall in love with the charisma of don Bosco: at least 430 all over the country aspire to join the Congregation. Rev. Francesco Cereda, Salesian Formation Adviser recently visited Vietnam and saw this growth amazing for himself. The number of young people entering religious life has also increased; Brothers by 77.74% and Sisters by 51.44%.
In the last five years the Catholic community in Vietnam has grown by 14. 39%. In view of this the government allowed the major seminary in Hanoi to accept new students every year instead of every two years.
Vietnam’s 5.5 million Catholics are 80-90% practising: in fact visiting Catholics are often surprised to see such high local attendance at Sunday and daily Mass. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 14/9/2006 righe 25 parole 252)
