Lent of rebirth in Rờ Kơi parish
Dispersed by war, this community in the Diocese of Kon Tum has regained vitality since 2010 thanks to the mission of Dominican priests and nuns. Many people from neighbouring villages have also asked to be baptised. The construction of a new church began in 2020.
Kon Tum (AsiaNews) – The vitality of this year’s Lent in Vietnam can be seen in Rờ Kơi, a parish in the Diocese of Kon Tum, central highlands.
Since 2010 Dominican Sisters and Fathers have been engaged in pastoral outreach among local communities whose life can be hard, especially children living in hostels.
Rờ Kơi parish is part of Kram, a village located some 50 km from Kon Tum, Sa Thay district, its residents belonging mostly to Vietnam’s ethnic minorities.
Founded in 1948, dispersed by the war, the parish had no priest after 1975, until 2010, when Fr Tadeo Nguyễn Ái Quốc was sent to Rờ Kơi by the bishop of Kon Tum.
Since then, the pastoral activities have resumed and the men and women religious accompany more than 2,400 parishioners with prayers and social works. The latter include a medical dispensary run by the Dominican nuns, offering the poor medications and free consultations.
Fr Luca Nguyễn Văn Mạnh, parish priest in Rờ Kơi, has also helped organise the distribution of free rice and other staples to lonely seniors and needy families.
“Adults and children in Rờ Kơi only eat two meals a day,” Fr Tadeo Hồ Vĩnh Thịnh explained. “The kids who don't have breakfast in the morning go to school anyway, but often pass out in the classroom.”
To help children from poor families or with sick parents, the priest has opened a hostel for more than 20 primary and secondary students, but the need is much greater. “If they don't get help, hundreds of them will have to drop out of school soon," he laments.
Villagers have also had to cope with other basic issues, such as drinking water. In the past, it was customary to take it from streams or mountain springs, but today these sources are depleted or heavily polluted.
Thanks to benefactors, Rờ Kơi parish has invested in clean water systems to help people have clean water for drinking and cooking every day.
Since activities resumed in 2010, many people who live in the surrounding villages, in the mountains, have also begun to come to the parish.
Many did not know God, but have asked to be baptised in recent years. In 2020, local and provincial authorities approved the construction of a new church in Rờ Kơi.
A large crowd of men and women religious and parishioners attended the ceremony of laying the foundation stone and the Mass led by Bishop Aloisiô Nguyễn Hùng Vị of Kon Tum.
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