On Thursday, February 8, 2018, the Congregation of Mission celebrated the Eucharist on the occasion of the establishment of the New Province of Vietnam. This celebration was held in the Church of the Sacred Heart in Dalat.
At that time, the Congregation welcomed the Bishops of the Diocese of Dalat: Bishop Antoine Vu Huyen and his auxiliary, Dominic Nguyen Van Manh. Also present were, Bishop John Do Van Ngan, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Xuan Loc and Bishop Joseph Nguyen Van Yen, former bishop of Phat Diem.
On this occasion, the Province of Vietnam welcomed Rev. Father Tomaž Mavrič, CM, superior general (this was his first visit to Vietnam since his election in 2016). Traveling with Father Tomaž were Father Mathew Kallammakal, CM, Assistant General and Father Giuseppe Maria Turati, CM, Secretary-General.
Visitors and Superiors from other Vincentian Provinces also participated: Father Christian Mauvais, Visitor of the French Province, who was accompanied by other confreres from France. Father Michael Nguyen Hung Manh, CM, Provincial Representative of the Eastern Province of the United States; Father Gregorio Banaga Labus, CM, Visitor of the Philippines; Father Tomichan Joshep, CM, Visitor of Southern India,; Father F. E. Labitag, CM, Visitor of China-Taiwan; Father Jasso Jaroslav, CM, Visitor of Slovakia; Father M. Edi Frasetyo, CM, Visitor of Indonesia; Father Joseph Pham Minh, CM, Provincial Representative of the Western Province of the United States; Father Manimtim Victorio Marcelo, CM, President of Adamson University in the Philippines and members of various Provincial Councils.
Many religious, especially members of the various branches of the Vincentian Family in Vietnam, benefactors, relatives, as well as members of various Vincentian parishes participated in the Eucharist and shared in the joy of this community celebration. Over one hundred twenty diocesan priests concelebrated the Eucharist.
The Eucharist began with joyful music that was led by the seminarists. To express our unity as Church, the various parts of the Eucharist were sung in Latin. During his homily, Father Masvrič reviewed the history of the Congregation in this country, recalling the footsteps of those first missionaries who arrived in our country in 1928. We were reminded of the process that was undertaken in order to arrive at this present moment in our history. Father also touched upon some of the themes that he spoke about in his letter that was addressed to all the members of the Vincentian Family on the occasion of the closing of the Jubilee Year. At the same time, he highlighted some of the realities that should fill us with gratitude. First, our rich vocational heritage … at the present time we number 74 priests, 9 deacons, 2 brothers, 154 students in various stages of formation (54 seminarists, 21 novices, 50 students in philosophy and 24 postulants). Second, our ministry as members of the Congregation is focused on the poor men and women in the rural areas of the country and on the members of ethnic minorities throughout Vietnam.
Before the conclusion of the Eucharist, Father Augustine Nguyen Huu Gia, CM, the former vice-visitor thanked the Bishops, the Superior General, the members of the Curia and all those in attendance for their participation in this event.
Then, Father Mathew Kallammakal, CM, Assistant General and liaison of the General Curia to the Visitors of the Asia-Pacific Region (APVC), congratulated the new Province and the new Provincial. He was followed by Father Victorio Marcelo, CM, President of Adamson University in the Philippines who also congratulated the members of the new province and promised to help Vietnam with their formation needs. Then, Father Christian Marie Aimé Mauvais, CM, Visitor of the Province of France, which was the mother province of Vietnam, extended his congratulations to the members of the new Province. After all of this, the new Provincial, in the name of all the members, thanked everyone for their participation in this memorable celebration.
By: Minh Trieu, C.M.
Edited by: Charles T. Plock, CM – Eastern Province, USA
