We share with the Church of Jesus Christ in Vinh diocese, especially in Tam Toa Parish, Quang Binh Province, in order to understand the affliction of our country. As you knew what happening in Tam Toa Parish these days, Therefore, we pray to God for believers in Vinh diocese and especially in Tam Toa Parish to relieve the sufferings, injustice… which occurs in society. Furthermore, we pray for love, peace, truth, justice to be bloomed in our country.
There are many things to talk about our feeling these special days; however, I suggest two points.
I. What feelings will we share with Vinh diocese? Which confidence, standpoint? What affliction of the Jesus’ Church will we share with our people now in Tam Toa parish, Vinh diocese, Quang Binh province?
The war in our country has been over long ago. Although many among you who were born after the war ending, they probably had lots of experience in cruelty of war and unacceptability of war. Truly, war is cruel and unacceptable.
Nevertheless, after some decades from the day of war ending, nowadays, we penetrate into another experience, that is, when a country has to be rebuilt after the war, at that time, the crazy ambition and vital force of the war will prove helpless. There will be a new strength; it is the power of LOVE, the power of understanding and the power of compassion for others. Yes, it is the power of altruism and co-operation. It is the creative dynamic of a living and constructive will, a will of forgiveness and reconciliation. Applying the crazy ambition of war to rebuild the country? Bitter failure! Apply the vital force of war to rebuild the country? Fail! The only way is, the way of Love, the way of forgiveness and the way of taking a loving care of life.
Church is the place to practice love, compassion, reconciliation and symbol of the resuscitation. Turning church into a statue of animosity is a crime, a serious offence to the faith of our religion. It is possible to maintain vestiges in Tam Toa parish in order to remind us of the cruel characteristic, the unacceptability of war. However, if that is on purpose, it will be unacceptable. The main and most important message, which the church of Tam Toa wants to send to us and future generation, is the message of love, of reconciliation and of the resurrection, not the message of the animosity.
The grievous events in Tam Toa parish proved that: when they emphasize the hatred, there will be not a truly peace. To be feud with others is to give a hand to improve the civilization of death. We have lived long time in the society which gives prominence to the animosity. The serious consequence of the way of building country depending on the animosity is the cause of the decline of moral in our society. Vietnamese is originally good-natured and nice, but frequently confronts horrible violence in family and in society. Why? It is because of emphasizing the hatred for a long time. The hatred between classes became a standard to evaluate each other and lead us into violent tragedy as we often see through our country. It is urgent to put an end to hatred, which is the standard to build country. It is so long when we did give prominence to violence.
Therefore, none better than now, stressing the role of the Good News of love and compassion, conciliation and resurrection is one of the most urgent demand of the country and the evangelization of the Church. Nevertheless, in spite of the urgent situation, they keep on turning church, the place to practice love, compassion, reconciliation and symbol of the resuscitation into a statue of animosity.
The parishioners in Vinh diocese, being aware of pressing need of the evangelization of Love, building up the civilization of Love, and testifying to the power of Love, which can save people, expect to build a new church replacing the old one without abolishing the symbol of the cruelty of war. It is the wish to proclaim the message of total peace, insist on active love without ignoring the cruelty and violence of war. Without being aware of this, we may be tricked. During recent time, the press report as though someone wants to abolish the vestige of war. Someone even said that some parishioners in Vinh diocese want people to forget the crime of American Empire. It is unjust to them. To the parishioners in Vinh diocese, the important thing is the message of Love, conciliation, resurrection that has to be proclaimed here, on the old foundation of the church.
Thus, two opposite intention about the question of Tam Toa: the desire of pressing the hatred and the desire of sending a love message to posterity an aspiration of resuscitation. Perhaps, because of these opposite points, it brings about serious tragic situation to the parishioners in Tam Toa parish, Vinh diocese.
Jesus Christ has died for carrying out the Good News about Love, forgiveness, resurrection. The parishioners in Tam Toa are particularly taking part in God’s Work. Jesus said: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world and I have selected you from the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember what I say to you: a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me they will persecute you; if they observe My word, they will observe yours; but they will do all this to you on account of My name, for they do not know the One who sent Me (John 15 18-21).”
Co-operating with Tam Toa parishioners in prayer, we are now praying for the best wish of Love that come true. And this is the main purpose of many organizational prayers these recent days. We pray particularly for Quang Binh authorities and for the country in general to respect our legitimate aspirations.
Praying for Tam Toa parish means that we make our stand clear on the way to build country. As the Church of Christ dwelling among the heart of nation, having a responsibility to our country, we prove our standpoint of building country on the basic of Love, vitality and reconciliation. It will not be a truly peace and prosperousness if we emphasize only the hatred. Therefore, praying for Tam Toa is the way we express our choice. We choose a way to build country on the basic of love, forgiveness, vitality, resuscitation, not of hatred.
II. The event when we gather to pray is to send the message: we don’t agree to methods of applying violence, ruthlessness and cunning to suppress different opinions in the society.
Remaining a tyrannical situation which seems to be elapsed, but it still exists in reality, especially influence on our daily life serious consequences. Some of them are arbitrariness, suppression, distorting facts; suppress different opinions by ruthless and cunning methods. In addition to corruption besides them made our country be reduced seriously. In regards to religion, especially Catholic, these consequences are more serious because of the suspicious and prejudiced look against the Church and believers.
During a long time, and at present, some people still busy themselves causing suspicion and prejudice be serious more and more. One year ago, the national press system did collude with Hanoi authorities to persecute Archbishop Ngo Quang Kiet when they together truncated his statement to cause the hatred among people. Many newspapers, radio and television programmers didn’t hesitate to defame and slander priests, cloisterers, parishioners in Thai Ha parish for a long time. No one is confident to claim that these evil deeds don’t happened again in Tam Toa.
On the other hand, what happened these days in Tam Toa, Dong Hoi city (two priests injured, many parishioners imprisoned) prove that. In broad daylight, they didn’t hesitate to applying violence, hatred in order to treat Catholic believers.
In fact, if they treat people by that way just like beating others with a burning metal stick, they will be obviously destroyed as soon as they hold it to attack. Malice is the death seed in my heart because it seeks the death for others. Love is living seed in my heart because it seeks the good for others.
We share with believers in Vinh diocese in order to strongly oppose the applying of violence and trickery to suppress different opinions of building the country.
On the one hand, we are aware that Saint Paul wrote to Corinth and to our sisters and brothers in Vinh diocese as well: “This treasure, however, we possess within utensils of clay—an evidence that the unparalleled power is from God and not from us. We are hedged in from every side, but we do not live cramped lives; we are perplexed, but we do not despair; we are persecuted but not deserted; struck down but not destroyed, all the while bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that by our bodies the life of Jesus may also be shown. In the midst of life, we are constantly handed over to death for Jesus sake, so that the live of Jesus may yet be evidenced through our mortal flesh (II Corinth 4 7-11).
In the other hand, according to the instruction of the Church, we claim that violence is the erroneous solution. Trusting in Christ and being aware of her mission, the Church claim that Violence is a crime, it is not a final solution of problems; violence is unacceptable for personal dignity; violence is false because it is against the truth of faith and the universal truth; violence destroys all social values.
Yes, it is the standpoint of the Church. It is our stand.
Through attending prayers like this, we claim the fundamental standpoint before the world: we don’t agree to the applying of violence, ruthlessness and cunning to suppress different opinions, especially suggestions regarding to development of the country. The Parishioners in Vinh diocese, for instance, they expect to build a new church replacing the old one. We don’t expect to build the country on the basic of hatred, violence although it is the revolutionary violence, hatred for the class. It is time to stop these methods, and begin a new policy that is based on love, forgiveness, life respect to build the country. Moreover, we prove our choice that proclaims the Gospel of love, reconciliation and life in spite of being persecuted, suffering.
let’s pray Virgin Mary Perpetual Help for us, her children, especially our brothers and sisters in Vinh diocese. Let’s pray to Jesus, the Redemer to bless us His peace and His Salvation and hope that we shall never compromise with measure of violence, hatred to build the country. But we consciously dedicate our life to attend love, reconciliation and resuscitation.
Hope the crazy ambition of turning church into the vestige, which provoke a bad feeling, will be ignored but let the aspiration of love, reconciliation, life be bloomed. It is our heartfelt prayer and our confidentially profession as well.
There are many things to talk about our feeling these special days; however, I suggest two points.
I. What feelings will we share with Vinh diocese? Which confidence, standpoint? What affliction of the Jesus’ Church will we share with our people now in Tam Toa parish, Vinh diocese, Quang Binh province?
The war in our country has been over long ago. Although many among you who were born after the war ending, they probably had lots of experience in cruelty of war and unacceptability of war. Truly, war is cruel and unacceptable.
Nevertheless, after some decades from the day of war ending, nowadays, we penetrate into another experience, that is, when a country has to be rebuilt after the war, at that time, the crazy ambition and vital force of the war will prove helpless. There will be a new strength; it is the power of LOVE, the power of understanding and the power of compassion for others. Yes, it is the power of altruism and co-operation. It is the creative dynamic of a living and constructive will, a will of forgiveness and reconciliation. Applying the crazy ambition of war to rebuild the country? Bitter failure! Apply the vital force of war to rebuild the country? Fail! The only way is, the way of Love, the way of forgiveness and the way of taking a loving care of life.
Church is the place to practice love, compassion, reconciliation and symbol of the resuscitation. Turning church into a statue of animosity is a crime, a serious offence to the faith of our religion. It is possible to maintain vestiges in Tam Toa parish in order to remind us of the cruel characteristic, the unacceptability of war. However, if that is on purpose, it will be unacceptable. The main and most important message, which the church of Tam Toa wants to send to us and future generation, is the message of love, of reconciliation and of the resurrection, not the message of the animosity.
The grievous events in Tam Toa parish proved that: when they emphasize the hatred, there will be not a truly peace. To be feud with others is to give a hand to improve the civilization of death. We have lived long time in the society which gives prominence to the animosity. The serious consequence of the way of building country depending on the animosity is the cause of the decline of moral in our society. Vietnamese is originally good-natured and nice, but frequently confronts horrible violence in family and in society. Why? It is because of emphasizing the hatred for a long time. The hatred between classes became a standard to evaluate each other and lead us into violent tragedy as we often see through our country. It is urgent to put an end to hatred, which is the standard to build country. It is so long when we did give prominence to violence.
Therefore, none better than now, stressing the role of the Good News of love and compassion, conciliation and resurrection is one of the most urgent demand of the country and the evangelization of the Church. Nevertheless, in spite of the urgent situation, they keep on turning church, the place to practice love, compassion, reconciliation and symbol of the resuscitation into a statue of animosity.
The parishioners in Vinh diocese, being aware of pressing need of the evangelization of Love, building up the civilization of Love, and testifying to the power of Love, which can save people, expect to build a new church replacing the old one without abolishing the symbol of the cruelty of war. It is the wish to proclaim the message of total peace, insist on active love without ignoring the cruelty and violence of war. Without being aware of this, we may be tricked. During recent time, the press report as though someone wants to abolish the vestige of war. Someone even said that some parishioners in Vinh diocese want people to forget the crime of American Empire. It is unjust to them. To the parishioners in Vinh diocese, the important thing is the message of Love, conciliation, resurrection that has to be proclaimed here, on the old foundation of the church.
Thus, two opposite intention about the question of Tam Toa: the desire of pressing the hatred and the desire of sending a love message to posterity an aspiration of resuscitation. Perhaps, because of these opposite points, it brings about serious tragic situation to the parishioners in Tam Toa parish, Vinh diocese.
Jesus Christ has died for carrying out the Good News about Love, forgiveness, resurrection. The parishioners in Tam Toa are particularly taking part in God’s Work. Jesus said: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world and I have selected you from the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember what I say to you: a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me they will persecute you; if they observe My word, they will observe yours; but they will do all this to you on account of My name, for they do not know the One who sent Me (John 15 18-21).”
Co-operating with Tam Toa parishioners in prayer, we are now praying for the best wish of Love that come true. And this is the main purpose of many organizational prayers these recent days. We pray particularly for Quang Binh authorities and for the country in general to respect our legitimate aspirations.
Praying for Tam Toa parish means that we make our stand clear on the way to build country. As the Church of Christ dwelling among the heart of nation, having a responsibility to our country, we prove our standpoint of building country on the basic of Love, vitality and reconciliation. It will not be a truly peace and prosperousness if we emphasize only the hatred. Therefore, praying for Tam Toa is the way we express our choice. We choose a way to build country on the basic of love, forgiveness, vitality, resuscitation, not of hatred.
II. The event when we gather to pray is to send the message: we don’t agree to methods of applying violence, ruthlessness and cunning to suppress different opinions in the society.
Remaining a tyrannical situation which seems to be elapsed, but it still exists in reality, especially influence on our daily life serious consequences. Some of them are arbitrariness, suppression, distorting facts; suppress different opinions by ruthless and cunning methods. In addition to corruption besides them made our country be reduced seriously. In regards to religion, especially Catholic, these consequences are more serious because of the suspicious and prejudiced look against the Church and believers.
During a long time, and at present, some people still busy themselves causing suspicion and prejudice be serious more and more. One year ago, the national press system did collude with Hanoi authorities to persecute Archbishop Ngo Quang Kiet when they together truncated his statement to cause the hatred among people. Many newspapers, radio and television programmers didn’t hesitate to defame and slander priests, cloisterers, parishioners in Thai Ha parish for a long time. No one is confident to claim that these evil deeds don’t happened again in Tam Toa.
On the other hand, what happened these days in Tam Toa, Dong Hoi city (two priests injured, many parishioners imprisoned) prove that. In broad daylight, they didn’t hesitate to applying violence, hatred in order to treat Catholic believers.
In fact, if they treat people by that way just like beating others with a burning metal stick, they will be obviously destroyed as soon as they hold it to attack. Malice is the death seed in my heart because it seeks the death for others. Love is living seed in my heart because it seeks the good for others.
We share with believers in Vinh diocese in order to strongly oppose the applying of violence and trickery to suppress different opinions of building the country.
On the one hand, we are aware that Saint Paul wrote to Corinth and to our sisters and brothers in Vinh diocese as well: “This treasure, however, we possess within utensils of clay—an evidence that the unparalleled power is from God and not from us. We are hedged in from every side, but we do not live cramped lives; we are perplexed, but we do not despair; we are persecuted but not deserted; struck down but not destroyed, all the while bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that by our bodies the life of Jesus may also be shown. In the midst of life, we are constantly handed over to death for Jesus sake, so that the live of Jesus may yet be evidenced through our mortal flesh (II Corinth 4 7-11).
In the other hand, according to the instruction of the Church, we claim that violence is the erroneous solution. Trusting in Christ and being aware of her mission, the Church claim that Violence is a crime, it is not a final solution of problems; violence is unacceptable for personal dignity; violence is false because it is against the truth of faith and the universal truth; violence destroys all social values.
Yes, it is the standpoint of the Church. It is our stand.
Through attending prayers like this, we claim the fundamental standpoint before the world: we don’t agree to the applying of violence, ruthlessness and cunning to suppress different opinions, especially suggestions regarding to development of the country. The Parishioners in Vinh diocese, for instance, they expect to build a new church replacing the old one. We don’t expect to build the country on the basic of hatred, violence although it is the revolutionary violence, hatred for the class. It is time to stop these methods, and begin a new policy that is based on love, forgiveness, life respect to build the country. Moreover, we prove our choice that proclaims the Gospel of love, reconciliation and life in spite of being persecuted, suffering.
let’s pray Virgin Mary Perpetual Help for us, her children, especially our brothers and sisters in Vinh diocese. Let’s pray to Jesus, the Redemer to bless us His peace and His Salvation and hope that we shall never compromise with measure of violence, hatred to build the country. But we consciously dedicate our life to attend love, reconciliation and resuscitation.
Hope the crazy ambition of turning church into the vestige, which provoke a bad feeling, will be ignored but let the aspiration of love, reconciliation, life be bloomed. It is our heartfelt prayer and our confidentially profession as well.