Hung Hoa (AsiaNews/Ucan) - Catholics in some northern Vietnamese dioceses have followed Church leaders' calls to help survivors of the recent tsunami by reducing expenses for Lunar New Year celebrations. "You should cut down unnecessary spending to share money with tsunami survivors" Bishop Antoine Vu Huy Chuong of Hung Hoa urged Catholics in his diocese in pastoral letter. Parishes have raised money on one of the three Tet days and send it to the bishop's house to pass on to the Episcopal Commission for Charitable and Social Services.

Some lay Catholics in the diocese said how they have reduced spending for the Tet holidays. Pierre Nguyen Van Phuong said his family have made only 20 "banh chung" – a Tet traditional plate -- compared with 30 last year. This would enable him to donate 100,000 dong (US.50) to help the survivors. He expressed hope that survivors would benefit during the first days of the new year "thanks to small sums of money from poor people like us." The gesture might be late but is better than contributing nothing, he added, saying he also "will pray to God for no more terrible disasters like these."

Fifteen-year-old Marie Dao Thi Mai said she have saved 20,000 dong by not making herself a new dress and would donate the money "for children missing their parents in the tsunami." She said nine members of her family earn a living by collecting firewood in the forest or working for daily wages.

Teenager Paul Nguyen Van Hung said he and his friends have not to gambled during the Tet holidays, as they used to do, and have given the money instead for the affected people.

Bishop Xavier Francois Nguyen Van Sand of Thai Binh asked lay Catholics to give Church workers Tet presents in the form of cash instead of goods so that the diocese could send it to the tsunami survivors. He also urged children to contribute to disaster-relief funds by donating the customary "red envelopes with money" that they receive as Tet presents.

Joseph Tran Van Thuong, 13, a member of the cathedral parish in Thai Binh city, said that last year he received red envelopes with money totalling 200,000 dong from his relatives. He said he have took half the money he have received this year and contribute it to the disaster relief fund, and have asked his friends to contribute too.

A 70-year-old lay Catholic said: "I have never seen all the churches in the diocese at the same time raise money to help disaster victims like this before."

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