DIEN BIEN, Vietnam (UCAN January 2, 2009 ) -- In two provinces in the country’s northwestern corner, a priest led Christmas Masses for local Catholics, capping the first public Christmas celebrations for most of them since being relocated here decades ago.
On an almost-freezing misty Christmas morning, Father Pierre Pham Thanh Binh drove out on a mountain road with seven other Catholics from his parish based in Sa Pa, Lao Cai province, 255 kilometers northwest of Ha Noi.
By the time he returned three days later, on Dec. 28, he had traveled 800 kilometers and celebrated Christmas Masses at four villages in neighboring Lai Chau and Dien Bien provinces, the priest told UCA News.
At his first destination, Lai Chau town, about 70 kilometers from Sa Pa, 600 local Catholics had prepared an open-air stage for Christmas Mass.
“This is the first time we have publicly welcomed a priest to celebrate Christmas Mass since we moved to this area four decades ago,” said Anna Nguyen Thi Khoi, a lay leader. Catholics had moved here from Nam Dinh and Thai Binh provinces, on the coast of northeastern Vietnam.
Khoi, 60, told UCA News that local Catholics in early December petitioned local government authorities to allow Father Binh to visit and celebrate Mass on Christmas. After receiving approval, the Catholics erected the stage which they decorated it with colorful flags and strips of cloth, near a Catholic home where they have gathered and prayed on Sunday evenings since 2007. They also erected a Nativity scene and hung a big star from the roof of the house.
On Christmas Eve, local children took part in a catechism contest, sang hymns and danced to welcome the Infant Jesus, according to Khoi, owner of a local restaurant.
“This is evidence God loves his lambs in this remote area,” she said. Priests had not been allowed to pay pastoral visits to local Catholics, who earlier were not allowed even to gather and pray at each other’s homes, she added.
After the Mass, Father Binh traveled 200 kilometers to Noong Het village in Dien Bien town. About 200 local Catholics crowded into a house belonging to one of them for the Mass he celebrated at 9 p.m.
Francis Xavier Nguyen Ba Huan, the host, told UCA News local government authorities had always banned Christmas celebrations, but this year "they ignored our religious activities.”
Huan, 42, said local Catholics also erected a big Nativity scene at his house, where they prayed and sang Christmas hymns the previous night. “We are very happy to publicly attend Christmas Mass at our village for the first time,” the father of three remarked.
Dien Bien town has around 300 Catholics from families who moved here 30 years ago.
The following day, Father Binh went to Tua Chua district, Lai Chau province, and celebrated Masses at two Catholic homes for about 100 people.
Joseph Nguyen Van Ha, a member of the Catholic community there, told UCA News that since December 2007, Father Binh has visited them four times and celebrated six Masses, including the recent Christmas Masses. However, government officials have refused to meet the priest, added the 50-year-old layman, who owns a construction company. Catholics moved to Tua Chua in the 1980s.
Father Binh then journeyed on to Noong Heo village, 220 kilometers from Tua Chua, and celebrated Mass for 80 people at a Catholic home. He also baptized two people.
Joseph Nguyen Van Giang, a local Catholic, told UCA News Father Binh was the first priest to be allowed to celebrate Christmas Mass in their village since the community there started in 1972.
Father Binh, 37, who was ordained in 2006, said he was very tired but felt "happy to give pastoral care to people who are eager to attend Mass on Christmas.”
As Sa Pa parish priest, he has pastoral responsibility for Catholics in Lai Chau and Dien Bien. He said he hopes he will be able to visit other Catholic communities in the two provinces.
On Christmas Eve, before he left on his Christmas pastoral travels, the priest celebrated Mass attended by 2,000 ethnic Hmong Catholics at the Sa Pa church.
(Source: http://www.ucanews.com/2009/01/02/catholics-in-remote-northwestern-provinces-have-first-christmas-masses-in-decades/)
On an almost-freezing misty Christmas morning, Father Pierre Pham Thanh Binh drove out on a mountain road with seven other Catholics from his parish based in Sa Pa, Lao Cai province, 255 kilometers northwest of Ha Noi.
By the time he returned three days later, on Dec. 28, he had traveled 800 kilometers and celebrated Christmas Masses at four villages in neighboring Lai Chau and Dien Bien provinces, the priest told UCA News.
At his first destination, Lai Chau town, about 70 kilometers from Sa Pa, 600 local Catholics had prepared an open-air stage for Christmas Mass.
“This is the first time we have publicly welcomed a priest to celebrate Christmas Mass since we moved to this area four decades ago,” said Anna Nguyen Thi Khoi, a lay leader. Catholics had moved here from Nam Dinh and Thai Binh provinces, on the coast of northeastern Vietnam.
Khoi, 60, told UCA News that local Catholics in early December petitioned local government authorities to allow Father Binh to visit and celebrate Mass on Christmas. After receiving approval, the Catholics erected the stage which they decorated it with colorful flags and strips of cloth, near a Catholic home where they have gathered and prayed on Sunday evenings since 2007. They also erected a Nativity scene and hung a big star from the roof of the house.
On Christmas Eve, local children took part in a catechism contest, sang hymns and danced to welcome the Infant Jesus, according to Khoi, owner of a local restaurant.
“This is evidence God loves his lambs in this remote area,” she said. Priests had not been allowed to pay pastoral visits to local Catholics, who earlier were not allowed even to gather and pray at each other’s homes, she added.
After the Mass, Father Binh traveled 200 kilometers to Noong Het village in Dien Bien town. About 200 local Catholics crowded into a house belonging to one of them for the Mass he celebrated at 9 p.m.
Francis Xavier Nguyen Ba Huan, the host, told UCA News local government authorities had always banned Christmas celebrations, but this year "they ignored our religious activities.”
Huan, 42, said local Catholics also erected a big Nativity scene at his house, where they prayed and sang Christmas hymns the previous night. “We are very happy to publicly attend Christmas Mass at our village for the first time,” the father of three remarked.
Dien Bien town has around 300 Catholics from families who moved here 30 years ago.
The following day, Father Binh went to Tua Chua district, Lai Chau province, and celebrated Masses at two Catholic homes for about 100 people.
Joseph Nguyen Van Ha, a member of the Catholic community there, told UCA News that since December 2007, Father Binh has visited them four times and celebrated six Masses, including the recent Christmas Masses. However, government officials have refused to meet the priest, added the 50-year-old layman, who owns a construction company. Catholics moved to Tua Chua in the 1980s.
Father Binh then journeyed on to Noong Heo village, 220 kilometers from Tua Chua, and celebrated Mass for 80 people at a Catholic home. He also baptized two people.
Joseph Nguyen Van Giang, a local Catholic, told UCA News Father Binh was the first priest to be allowed to celebrate Christmas Mass in their village since the community there started in 1972.
Father Binh, 37, who was ordained in 2006, said he was very tired but felt "happy to give pastoral care to people who are eager to attend Mass on Christmas.”
As Sa Pa parish priest, he has pastoral responsibility for Catholics in Lai Chau and Dien Bien. He said he hopes he will be able to visit other Catholic communities in the two provinces.
On Christmas Eve, before he left on his Christmas pastoral travels, the priest celebrated Mass attended by 2,000 ethnic Hmong Catholics at the Sa Pa church.
(Source: http://www.ucanews.com/2009/01/02/catholics-in-remote-northwestern-provinces-have-first-christmas-masses-in-decades/)