Hanoi (AsiaNews) - Caritas and the Church of Vietnam have decided to celebrate Christmas this year with Vietnam's poorest, across the country, by organizing events and parties. In the cathedral of Hanoi over a thousand people - including street children, the elderly, people with HIV / AIDS and poor - participated in yesterday's Mass to celebrate the birth of Jesus After the service, some groups received Christmas gifts from priests, nuns , seminarians and volunteers who work and lived with them.

Archbishop Nguyen Van Nhon, of Hanoi, expressed words of hope to the volunteers: "Your presence reminds us that we must not waste time. And we must do our duty and live by our mission. You have been courageous in accepting a hard life, that makes us people who are passionate and enthusiastic. If sometimes you feel sad and disappointed because you think you can do nothing, you must be proud instead and think that by your example you have awakened our conscience and that of society. "

During the week, with the theme "Christmas Love", the faithful of the diocese of Phan Thiet visited and brought gifts to 230 families living in difficult circumstances, hundreds of orphans, lonely elderly and disabled people. On 24 and 25 December the Caritas of the Diocese will bring a "Christmas of love" to people living in small and remote islands like Phu Qui and Binh Thuan.

Saigon archdiocese Pastoral Centre organized a Festival of Christmas for 4500 disabled. The event is an opportunity for social workers, volunteers, directors of shelters and reception centres to bring happiness and peace of Christmas to refugees.

Representatives and volunteers of Caritas have also visited the lepers of the sanatorium Eana of Ban Me Thuot, and those of Dakka and Darring in the Diocese of Kontum. There was mobilization among the people who donated money and medicine to the sick, and prayed for those suffering from leprosy, orphans and disabled people of the Highlands.