By VIE SocCom

HCM Vietnam, 4 January 2025 -- At 10:30 a.m, on Saturday, 4 January 2025, at the chapel of the Provincial House Community, the Provincial, together with the Provincial Council, Confreres of the Provincial House Community, some confreres from Communities in the Saigon Area and nearly 20representatives of the group of past pupils of Don Bosco, those who lived and knew Father Luc, and some aspirants attended the Mass to pray for Father Attilio Stra (Ngo Phan Luc) who passed away on the night of 29 December 2024 at the La Fondation Vincent Community, Cap Haitien – Haiti, at the age of 88.

At the beginning of the Mass, participants listened to the “Death notice” from the Philip Rinaldi Vice-Province Haiti, announcing the return of Father Attilio to the Father’s House, along with a few lines of his missionary history in Vietnam in the years 1956 – 1975. He was one of the first missionaries to put the basics for the Salesian work and mission in Vietnam. He had great merit in building the Don Rua Institute in Dalat. He was like a good father, loved by everyone. He always said “I don’t want to remember Vietnam, I want to forget Vietnam”, because his heart and love were always for Vietnam, and every time he remembered, his heart ached. After leaving Vietnam, he devoted his missionary life to poor children in Haiti until his last breath.

The Mass took place very fervently and warmly in the small chapel of the Provincial House Community. In his homily, the Provincial Father Barnaba Le An Phong reminded the community of the image of Father Attilio Luc as a model of SDB missionary for all of us today, spending his life for poor children. His life always followed Christ and Don Bosco, faithful to the vocation of a disciple, serving the preaching of the Gospel and bringing Christ to everyone, especially poor children.

The Province and each Community, each confrere continues to celebrate Mass and pray for Father Attilio Luc, especially in communion with the Vice-Province of Haiti on the day of his funeral on 9 January 2025. May God, rich in mercy, welcome the soul of Father Attilio Luc into eternal happiness with Him.

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