On December 3, nearly 500 people, mostly Hmong Catholics, participated in the inauguration of a new church in Yen Bai province in northern Vietnam. The former chapel of the community had been swept away by floods more than a year ago, in July 2018. The faithful of Sung Do celebrated their new church and their new parish house on the feast day of St. Francis Xavier . Father Joseph Nguyen Trong Duong, the Dean of Nghia Lo, who presided over the celebration with nine other priests, announced that Sung Do's parish office had been elevated to parish status, with St. Francis Xavier as patron saint.
"Today we thank the Lord for his love and for the way he is reviving this small community, which suffered the devastating floods of last year,"entrusted Fr Joseph Nguyen Trong Duong, Nguia Lo Dean of the Dynasty, during the celebration inaugurating the new Sung Do Church. In July 2018, floods destroyed the old wooden chapel used by the local community; dozens of houses in Sung Do were also washed away during bad weather. On December 3, the day of the inauguration, the community also marked the elevation of the parish office to the rank of parish, as well as the construction of a new presbytery. During the celebration, Father Duong also asked the assembly to pray for the benefactors who helped finance the reconstruction work. Father Antoine Nguyen Tan Hoi, a deanery priest who works in the Sung Do community, oversaw the reconstruction. He explains that the work of the new church, which covers a plot of 300 m² and has a steeple 20 meters high, cost 2 billion dongs (77,872 euros). Architect Hoi Hoi designed the plans for the new church, which was built on the site of the old chapel. The priest explains that parishioners had to transport construction materials for 20 kilometers through the mountain trails to the construction site of the new church. All were volunteers and took their free time to participate in the reconstruction, he rejoices. which was built on the site of the old chapel. The priest explains that parishioners had to transport construction materials for 20 kilometers through the mountain trails to the construction site of the new church. All were volunteers and took their free time to participate in the reconstruction, he rejoices. which was built on the site of the old chapel. The priest explains that parishioners had to transport construction materials for 20 kilometers through the mountain trails to the construction site of the new church. All were volunteers and took their free time to participate in the reconstruction, he rejoices.
"We are very happy to have a new church, so that we can continue to live together our faith,"entrusts Joseph Giang Vang Sang, head of the new parish council. He explains that most of the community members are descended from dozens of Hmong families who came to live in the area in 1967. They planted crops while gathering in the forest, leading a life of poverty. They had to gather at home to pray, until 1992, when a small wooden chapel was erected. Bishop Alfonse Nguyen Huu Long, bishop of Hung Hoa, sent money to the community of Sung Do to enlarge the chapel before it was destroyed in the floods. Joseph Sang explains that the entire community was devastated by the damage caused by the floods, especially since they were convinced that they could not rebuild the chapel. But Joseph adds that Father Hoi contacted Catholic associations, who had already participated in the construction of public buildings, and who provided them with drinking water and toilets after the bad weather of 2018. The new parish of Sung Do, which also includes the parish antenna of Ngon Lanh, has about 800 parishioners of the Hmong ethnic group. Duong explains that the new church is the first to be erected in the deanery for Hmong Catholics, while the other deanery communities have only wooden chapels like the one that was brought last year. He adds that the evangelization and pastoral support of these minorities, who have suffered persecution and hardship for several decades, are among the priorities of the diocese.
(Églises d'Asie - le 06/11/2019, With Ucanews, Yen Bai)
"We are very happy to have a new church, so that we can continue to live together our faith,"entrusts Joseph Giang Vang Sang, head of the new parish council. He explains that most of the community members are descended from dozens of Hmong families who came to live in the area in 1967. They planted crops while gathering in the forest, leading a life of poverty. They had to gather at home to pray, until 1992, when a small wooden chapel was erected. Bishop Alfonse Nguyen Huu Long, bishop of Hung Hoa, sent money to the community of Sung Do to enlarge the chapel before it was destroyed in the floods. Joseph Sang explains that the entire community was devastated by the damage caused by the floods, especially since they were convinced that they could not rebuild the chapel. But Joseph adds that Father Hoi contacted Catholic associations, who had already participated in the construction of public buildings, and who provided them with drinking water and toilets after the bad weather of 2018. The new parish of Sung Do, which also includes the parish antenna of Ngon Lanh, has about 800 parishioners of the Hmong ethnic group. Duong explains that the new church is the first to be erected in the deanery for Hmong Catholics, while the other deanery communities have only wooden chapels like the one that was brought last year. He adds that the evangelization and pastoral support of these minorities, who have suffered persecution and hardship for several decades, are among the priorities of the diocese.
(Églises d'Asie - le 06/11/2019, With Ucanews, Yen Bai)