austraLasia #1871
49 new priests in Salesian-guided diocese of
Bui Chu
BUI CHU (Nam Dinh province Vietnam): 9th June
2007 -- The only Salesian
community in the vicinity of Bui Chu, 100 km or so north of Hanoi, is at Phung
Ching, some 40 kms from Bui Chu. It is a youth centre and rural youth
training centre with some parish involvement as well. But Bui Chu
diocese, under the care of the Dominicans over a period of some 300 years, is
now led by Bishop Joseph Tiem and his Auxiliary Bishop Peter De, the latter a
former Provincial of the Vietnam Province.
Today, 9th June, is something of a triumph of growth for
this tiny diocese, one whose entire population is a third Catholic and
deeply devout. A total of 49 men will be ordained priests - for various
dioceses and religious congregations, all with due and painstaking gathering of
permissions both canonical and state.
Bui Chu might be the smallest diocese of Vietnam's 25, but
it certainly has the largest bishop's 'compound' - 4 hectares of cathedral, two
convents with Dominican and Visitation Sisters (about 100), a formation centre
for about 100 residents, and a chapel which seats 400. It is on the list
of places for the FABC Conference (Federation of Asian Bishops
Conferences). Bishop Tiem has developed an international rosary garden,
something dear to both Dominican and Salesian roots, with the Hail Mary
represented in 150 languages on large stone tablets. It is a reminder of
how many Catholics in difficult times had only the rosary to nurture their
faith with.
It seems to have been productive! Bui Chu is also
where 33 of the 117 holy Vietnamese martyrs are buried. Fertile ground
for the faith and fertile ground all round. Green paddy fields all linked with
concrete lanes from village to village, near the seashore. Faithwise,
despite the fast-changing social situation, it is estimated that of Bui Chu's
300,000 Catholics, mass attendance is at 80% weekly and pretty high too daily.
No surprise that it is also fertile ground for vocations.
________
Over this weekednthere are a number of other ordinations involving Salesians
from around the EAO region. We can possibly offer a roundup of these
events tomorrow or Monday.
_________________
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