Long Xuyen (AsiaNews) - The spirit of shared responsibility in Catholic communities, of which Saints Peter Doan Cong Here and Emmanuel Le Van Phung were examples was the focus of reflections by Mgr. Joseph Hoang Xuan Tieu, bishop of Long Xuyen, South Vietnam, during celebrations (pictured) for the 150th anniversary of the two martyrs.

The Vietnamese Church is very proud of its 117 martyrs. This pride motivates the Catholic community of Gieng Island. It also makes them precursors and a symbol of communion in a spirit of shared responsibility, to love and live together in society.

The commemorative ceremony was held in Gieng Island, a community chosen by the Catholic bishop for the anniversary and the pilgrimage of the jubilee year of the Vietnamese Church. The ceremony, held July on 31, was attended by hundreds of seminarians from the major seminary of Saint Qi Cai Rang and from the major seminary of the Diocese of Can Tho, as well as nuns of the Congregation of Lovers of the Holy Cross of Cai Nhun and the congregation of Sisters of Providence of Gieng Island.

The mass was concelebrated 60 priests in the presence of about three thousand faithful. During his homily, Mgr. Joseph Hoang Xuan Tieu illustrated how the two martyrs were exemplary cases of the spirit of shared responsibility.  They lived their faith and faced difficulties together , to the point of shedding their blood in witness to Jesus.  The priest Doan Cong Qui was pastor to the Catholic community of Dau nuoc of which the layman Emmanuel Le Van Phung was a member. The collaborated with each other, they were united and in communion with all other members of the small parish.

"The spirit of shared responsibility - he said then - is a truly original characteristic which emerged from Vatican II. In all the Catholic communities, the spirit of co-responsibility of bishops must be amply demonstrated towards dioceses, priests and parishioners”.