VIETNAM:  Parish Fetes Workers
On Migrants' Day

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (UCAN) -- A parish here in Vietnam's commercial hub arranged a cultural program and prize lottery in addition to a special Mass for domestic migrant workers to celebrate Migrants' Day.

Father Joseph Phan Ngoc Tro, pastor of Khiet Tam parish, told UCA News his parish entertained 1,500 migrants, including those of other religions on Jan. 14 at the parish church in Thu Duc district of Ho Chi Minh City, 1,710 kilometers south of Ha Noi.

The priest said the four-hour program included a Mass, a lottery and a cultural show performed by Catholic singers, parishioners and migrant workers.

Father Tro, 48, added he held this event in response to the call of Cardinal Jean Baptiste Pham Minh Man of Ho Chi Minh City to care for migrant workers.

One of them, Jean Baptiste Le Van Viet, won the lottery grand prize, a television set worth 2.1 million dong (US$132). Other major prizes were a video CD player and an electric rice cooker.

According to Father Tro, the sale of 10,000 lottery tickets at 2,000 dong each provided funds for the program. Migrant workers helped sell the tickets at their workplaces, and local Catholics also bought some.

The parish priest said preparations for the event began three months ahead of time. Many migrant workers could only practice for the cultural performances from 11:30 p.m. onwards, after their shifts at work.

Joseph Nguyen Minh Nhat, 24, a member of the parish choir, who comes from the northern province of Nghe An, had a role in the play, "Ten Virgins." He regretted not being able to celebrate Tet, as the Lunar New Year is called in Vietnam, with his family for three years, because "bus fares are too expensive." This year it will fall on Jan. 29. Nhat said he would visit his home later, during the summer months, when it will be cheaper to travel.

Marie Cao Thi Truc, 24, who comes from the northern province of Ninh Binh and works as a seamstress, also misses being with her family. This is the first Tet she will spend away from them. Like Nhat, she said she was grateful for the entertainment activities the parish organized for the migrant workers, which she said helped her get over her homesickness.

Father Tro said he intends to launch a Tet program for those who cannot return home. He said the territory his parish serves is one of the three districts in the city where migrant workers are concentrated. About 8,000 migrants attend Sunday Masses at his parish. Some of them participate in the parish choir, associations and catechism classes, the priest added.

He praised many migrant workers for showing a spirit of love by helping each other and by making donations to help families stricken by natural calamities.

A Catholic woman who has worked in Thu Duc district for 15 years described the festival for migrants as practical evangelization, an activity that "can encourage and excite migrants."

Nhat said he had invited some friends of other religions to the cultural performance so they could "interact, meet and share the joy of the festival -- the one especially for migrating workers regardless of religion."

The parish celebration was held Saturday evening, after most workers finished work for the week, but Cardinal Man led another celebration the next day at St. Paul's Church.

During that Migrants' Day Mass, which six priests concelebrated, the cardinal administered Confirmation to 119 people aged 15-30. About 2,500 migrant workers attended the Mass.

Father Paul Pham Trung Dong, the parish priest, told UCA News that his parish, located near industrial zones, serves 7,000 migrants.

According to Ho Chi Minh City's Department for Labor, Invalid and Social Affairs, 1,844,548 migrants were registered with local authorities in the city in October 2004.

END

VT9599.1377     January 24, 2006