Women in traditional costumes dance and offer flowers and candles in front of the Marian statue in Co Viet Parish in Thai Binh province on May 23. (Photo: giaophanthaibinh.org)
Posted on 06/01/2022 7:57:30 PM PDT by marshmallow
Shrine of Mother of Thai Binh will serve as a pilgrimage center for the faithful in Co Viet Parish
Women in traditional costumes dance and offer flowers and candles in front of the Marian statue in Co Viet Parish in Thai Binh province on May 23. (Photo: giaophanthaibinh.org)
A diocese in northern Vietnam has set up a new Marian shrine at a centuries-old parish on the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians.
Bishop Peter Nguyen Van De of Thai Binh founded the shrine in Co Viet Parish in Vu Thu district on May 24.
A special Mass to mark the event was concelebrated by Bishop De and Bishop Joseph Chau Ngoc Tri of Lang Son Cao Bang, joined by tens of priests and attended by thousands of people.
"We are delighted to dedicate this place to Mother Mary to show our gratitude to her and spread God's name to other people," Bishop De said.
The 76-year-old prelate said the Shrine of Mother of Thai Binh will serve as the 86-year-old diocese's pilgrimage center for local people. They should pray for the diocese to be in unity, solidarity, love and peace, and to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and save the world from atheism, suffering, poverty and pandemics.
Bishop De said the parish church dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians has been under construction and will be officially inaugurated on Dec. 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Local Catholics said the church will be one of the biggest in Vietnam.
(Excerpt) Read more at ucanews.com ...
Before Covid, I travelled to Vietnam every 6-12 months for a decade, visiting many provinces.
There were churches everywhere, and at mass times, they were overflowing, such that there were always people on the lawns outside. The Churches also were a center of the community. The churches stayed open late, and people gathered to pray, or to meet neighbors, and children played on the grounds.
It was all quite impressive.
Here in Phoenix, there is a new Vietnamese Roman Catholic Church around Northern and 27th Ave. Somebody put BIG money into it, and it is large. It is also EXTREMELY secure. Tall, wrought iron fencing with key-code gates, and a large visible area between fence and church entrance. It is also quite large. I was impressed by the exterior.
Although I have never been to Vietnam I did have the pleasure of attending a Mass in Vietnamese when I was visiting my daughter in Florida. It was quite the experience as I was the only non Asian at the Mass. I followed along in the English Missalette. It was wonderful.
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