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VIETNAM |
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VIETNAM |
ABOUT OUR COUNTRY:
RNDM PRESENCE IN VIETNAM:
The Sisters first arrived in Phat Diêm on the 23rd of October, 1924. We have 86 sisters living and working in 48 communities. We also have four sisters on overseas postings.
In August 2004 the Sisters celebrated the 80th anniversary of the arrival of RNDMs in Vietnam. Over these 80 years of service in Vietnam , the works of the Sisters have changed in response to the times. Although in the early days there were RNDMs from France, New Zealand, Australia, British Isles and Canada, today all the RNDMs are Vietnamese.
 Photo
Left: The shrine to honour the occasion, with Euphrasie Barbier, our
Foundress, and some of the early missionaries featured. |
 Above: The group of young Sisters professing their Final Vows before the Bishop in 2004. |
Photo Above: 80 years after the arrival of RNDMs in Vietnam, the group of young Sisters in the novitiate are a real sign of hope for the Province and for the Congregation.
APOSTOLATES (WORKS) INVOLVED IN:
| Mission's Works: | Education: Nursery schools;
youth training; literacy; promotion of women (especially prostitutes) Health Care: Dispensary; hospital for minorities
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| Pastoral Works: | Formation to religious life Catechism Training of catechists Parish animation |
Teaching a class of poor children.
Bu Dang Health Programme <from Sister M Jean Baptiste>
Bu Dang is situated about 160 kilometres north of Ho Chi Minh City and is within walking distance for a number of the Montagnard villages. The Montagnard are a tribal subsistence people who have been pushed off their land or have traditionally lived in remote areas of hill country. They are very poor, have little access to formal education and have many health problems. The Sisters have established a dispensary for the people at Bu Dang and regularly treat 20 – 30 cases each day. There are a few beds so that when necessary the sick can stay for a few days; sometimes they walk for a whole day to get to the dispensary!
During 2000 RNDM Solidarity money enabled Sister M Jean to train a group of 10 medics
in the use of medicines. The medics were each set up with a medical box for visiting the
Montagnard villages.
Photo above: Sister M Jean Baptiste with the sick who are staying for a few days
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Photos: Sister training her medics. |
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Minh Hung Village Wells Project <from Sister Minh Nha Tran Thi Gin>
Minh Hung is not far from Bu Dang. The Sisters here have developed a small pre-school for about 90 children, as a source of income. One Sister runs the pre-school; the others visit and catechise amongst the Montagnard people.
During 2000 Sister Minh Nha used RNDM Solidarity money to start building 14 wells in Montagnard villages in the Minh Hung and Bu Dang areas. Clean water in a village is the beginning of much improved health for everyone there.
Photo below: Happiness is having clean water in your village
The Nursery School at Minh Hung, near Long Dien, caters for about 90 children from the parish and from the Montagnard district.
Sacred Heart Safe House, Saigon <from Sister Sheila O’Toole>
Sister Sheila and Sister M Dominique have been working quietly for some time now to establish this safe house in Saigon for young women who want to be helped to escape from street life and to start again. Some girls hear about the Safe House and come themselves; others are referred by other agencies, now that the centre is approved.
The Safe House provides a place of safety for young women to have safe entertainment, to learn skills, to attend various classes and to regain their dignity as persons of worth. Classes in factory sewing, hairdressing, running a small business, health and recreation are all offered in the house. Already a number of girls have ‘graduated’ into their new independence and one has even returned as a tutor!
Funds for this work have come from NOVIB, Holland and the New Zealand Embassy.
Photo above: Sister M Dominique with some of the girls at the entrance to their Safe House
We have about 280 Associates in different Dioceses. Some of the Associates are active in the apostolic works in their parish and others participate to the mission by offering prayer and their sickness for the mission. Our sisters share with them our charism and spirituality.
Photo Below:
Sister Celestine [3 from left] invited Sister Liz
Hartigan [CLT - 4 from left] and Sister Ita [General Bursar- 6 from left ] to
meet the Leaders of their Associate groups at a 3-day gathering of about 165 of
their members held in Thu Duc, June 2006. The programme included input on the
Congregation and its charism, family life, scripture and Lectio Divina. 46 new
members were received as Associates on Pentecost Sunday.
The following week a training programme was held for more than 100 junior
Associates [9-13 year olds]. They were children of our Associates or in parishes
where our Sisters work. Like the adults they want to work as missionaries in
their families and schools. The children were excited and the parents were very
happy because they can see their children growing in faith and charity.
For more info contact:
Sr.
M. Dominique - Associates (Subject Line) pltdbtg@hcm.vnn.vn
VOCATIONS:
For more info contact: Sr. M. Louise at the above e-mail
Novices
Vietnam Aspirants
Aspirants are young women considering religious life.
These young women live with our Sisters at Thu Duc and Thi Nghe while they continue their
studies and reflect on their future. About 10 of them are furthering their university
studies, while the others are helping in the Sisters kindergardens.
Sister M Vianney [in the second row at the right] is the mentor for these young women.
Please keep them in your prayers.
Temporary Professed
Project : VNM-1 : Assistance for education of 16 poor young women, Thu Duc.
For many years our Sisters have been welcoming young women, to live with them while they continue their studies and reflect on their possible future in religious life. Presently they have 40 young women in this group. The parents of those from rural areas, 16 of them, work in agriculture, planting rice or fishing. They earn very little and are too poor to meet the full education costs of their daughter, although they try to pay a part. The Sisters are meeting the cost of food and accommodation for these young women.
The annual education expenses for these 16 girls come to US$4,800 with funding assistance of US$1000 and a local contribution of US$1,600.
The request to RNDM Solidarity is for US$2200
