A parish in the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City has lost as many as 70 members to COVID-19. After pastoral activities resumed on 2 December, the parish build a Bethlehem cave in the church square. The pandemic has sparked communal self-help, including “many non-Christians” who received help “at a time when they had no food or medicine”.
Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) – The parish of Bình An, in the diocese of Ho Chi Minh City, has set up a simple Bethlehem cave in the church square for the upcoming Christmas at a time when the country is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Established in 1955, Bình An parish has three priests for a congregation of more than 5,000, a community with plenty of vocations. In over 60 years it has given the mission 21 priests, 2 deacons, 33 nuns and 10 men religious.
“Because the pandemic has been going on for a long time and is affecting everyone in this area, we built only a Bethlehem cave in the church’s square,” said Fr Peter Tran speaking to AsiaNews.
More than 70 people have died from COVID-19 in Bình An parish since April. Three of its sections have been placed under tight quarantine lasting nearly two months, affecting more than 500 people.
On 2 December the parish began to reorganise its pastoral activities and resume celebrations, in compliance with the measures required by the Ministry of Health to prevent the spread of the infection.
In the previous months, Caritas and volunteers handed out rice, vegetables and other essential items to families in isolation. They also helped people, especially migrants, experiencing physical and mental stress caused by isolation.
Volunteers also distributed free meals to lonely and sick people living in squalid boarding houses on the edge of town.
“Over the past six months, Bình An parish has demonstrated the spirit of mutual help in the community,” Mr Joseph Nguyen told AsiaNews.
“Fr Joseph Đinh Hiền Tiến, the parish priest, and the other priests worked with the pastoral council and volunteers to support poor families and those who found themselves living these difficult times in residential areas,” he added.
“They were interested in everyone, Catholics and non-Catholics, and many people said they were very impressed for the help they received at a time when they had no food or medicine.”