North Vietnam Delegation

By Fr. Tri Dung, SDB

Hoa An, Vietnam, 8 September 2019 -- Immediately after the inauguration of our new Delegation the whole Provincial council moved to the rural area of Bac Ninh Diocese, Hoa An parish, for the installation of the first Rector, Fr Ngô Xuân Tín. With the profession of faith during the Sunday parish Eucharist at 9 a.m., he became the third Rector in the North Vietnam delegation. Since for the parish people the Rector is not a familiar figure, Fr. Provincial who installed Fr. Tin, spent a good part of his homily to explain what this charismatic figure means for the five consecrated Salesians (4 priests and one Salesian Brother) as well for the Salesian Family members (NB: first Aspirants for the Salesian Cooperators are being formed) and the whole Educative and Pastoral community of Hoa An parish.

During the past 10 years this almost completely Catholic village welcomed and enthusiastically collaborated with the Salesians. Not only the new structures – wonderful artificial grass on the football field (open until 10 p.m.!), the new SDB community house but also the growing building of the future ‘orphanage’ (house for youth in need) are the best witnesses to the effects of this transforming Salesian presence.

However, the fast changing social and cultural landscape of Bac Ninh area, along with fast growing industrial zones of the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, are also affecting the rural Catholic community and the young people. Mr. Joseph, the Youth leader of the parish, who attended the recent VIE provincial chapter, shares the challenges of the young, who are confused in many ways by the materialistic society and social media and also struggle with the low rate of employment.

After the Eucharist, concelebrated by 12 Salesian priests and well animated by the parish youth and parish brass band, followed a family lunch in the courtyard of the Salesian house. Participants included the local civil authorities and also the Hoa An parishioner who will be the first to join the Prenovitiate community in Cau Bong in a few days time.

We pray that more Salesians will volunteer for the Northern mission frontier and that more canonical communities will be established in our Delegation in the near future!

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