Northern frontier of Vietnam province
Lang Son, Vietnam, 21 July 2017 -- Since last 2011, a small missionary parish of Ngan Son (Lang Son diocese) was entrusted to the care of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Since that time the Salesian spirit is flourishing and giving a new shape to this Catholic community.
Nearly four years, 'Nanshan' is a strange name for everyone. To get to the Ngan Son parish in the town, you would need a guide or at least know the name of the alley that is leading to our Parish. Today 'Nanshan' is no longer a strange name for the people here, including many non-Catholics.
With less than 2000 square meters, the Parish compound is a too small for Salesians to set up a thriving camp like their mission and spirituality. However now the Salesian spirit is vibrant, active and felt here through a variety of parish activities, as the parish priest Fr. John Le Quang Vinh used to say: "Here we are just not present here. We have everything, the Salesian spirit, the apostolic passion to glorify God through our youth ministry and especially we have here young people."
Indeed, that conviction is very much visible through the Salesians in their activities with an apostolic fervour in this missionary land of Lang Son. Many young, poor, neglected young people are attended by the Salesian mission. With the increasing demands of the apostolate, Salesians are now working to improve some of the parish infrastructures and develop new activities. Hopefully, with the effort and cooperation of all Catholic community members and also ordinary citizens around the parish, Ngan Son will no longer be a forgotten land as it was often thought.
Ngan Son is one of the eight Salesian communities in the Northern part of Vietnam and one of two frontier mission presences close to the boarder with China. Our small SDB community is involved not only in the parish work in Ngan Son parish (130 Catholics!), but also in the formation of Lang Son diocese seminarians, social communication, family ministry and chancery of the bishop.The playground around the parish Church is open the whole day for any youngsters.
