Saigon, Vietnam, 13 August 2016 -- With joy of gratitude, on August 13th, 2016, sisters of the Institute of Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Vietnam (VTN) celebrated the Silver Jubilee of presence of Mother Mazzarello community in Tan Dinh, Saigon.
This community was founded to meet the needs of formation of culture and knowledge for sisters and the girls in vocational formation. The birth of this community initially had imprints of Holy Mother Mazzarello. That was the reason why the community was named after her.
Today, in the small house but large enough, sisters displayed life and pastoral activities of the community through past years. Sisters can’t help being surprised when looking at their past images. Look backward with gratitude in order to be stronger and more zealous in the presence and future.
Presence in the celebration was Sr. Rosa Vu Thi Kim Lien – the Provincial, priests, the religious, FMAs, benefactors, relatives and friends of sisters.
To begin the celebration, Sr. Maria Dung, the community’s animator presented the history and development of this community. Listening to a brief history of twenty-five years, the sisters can’t stop thanking God through the intercession of Mother Mazzarello and appreciating previous sisters, benefactors who have sacrificed for building up the community.
After that, everyone attended the mass of thanksgiving officiated by Fr. Joseph Nguyen Duy Diem – the parish priest of Thanh Gia parish, concelebrated with Fr. Joseph Tran Hoa Hung SDB - former Provincial, the Salesians, Fr Peter Nguyen Van Hien, head of catechism committee of the Catholic Archdiocese of Saigon.
Opening the mass, the priests expressed the happiness for the presence of the community and wished sisters holiness and dedication without tiredness to their mission. Then in the homily, Fr. Joseph Duy Diem shared his happiness to follow the vocation. In which, he said: “Wishing each of us, whether priests, the religious or laity, the intense assertion as of the Apostles: "Lord, You know that I love you" (Jn 21.15) and " for me to live is Christ" (Phil 1.21).
Ending mass was thanks note of Sr. Maria Dung to the Provincial, the Superiors, the priests and everyone.
The joy of celebration was followed with the fraternal banquet, encounters and performances of sisters and the girls in vocational formation, expressing profound gratitude to God and everyone.
May the gratitude echoes and lasts in each one forever so that as wishes of Don Bosco: each of us is a living monument of his gratitude to Mary Help!
