by JB Vu

In Ho Chi Minh City, two prayer vigils have been held at which young people from all over the country participated. Compassion is at the foundation of the social activities of the local Church, which gathers together as a second family.

Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) - More than 7 thousand Catholics gathered at the pastoral centre of the archdiocese of the former Saigon, for two prayer vigils on the message "God is rich in compassion". Present at the vigils was Peter Tran Dinh Tu, bishop of Phu Cuong and president of the bishops' commission for divine worship.

The participants included many young Catholics from various dioceses in the country, who are in Ho Chi Minh City for school or work. Thanh, who comes from the diocese of Thanh Hoa, tells AsiaNews: "Coming here is like being with a second family, and is an opportunity for my spiritual life: I went to confession and received communion during Holy Week".

Cuong, a young man from the parish of Binh An, adds: "I prepared to sing the fourteen stations of the Via Crucis in traditional Vietnamese music. My father taught me the technique, and this helps us to know each other better and draw closer together".

Sister Maria Tran Thi Nga, of the Missionaries of Christ’s Charity, says: "We are three sisters, and we work with the poor of Ho Chi Minh City. We help them to solve many of their everyday problems, and at the same time we invite all to prayer and compassion. In this sense, we share spiritual activities".

• Vietnam
• prayer
• vigil
• bishop
• Saigon
• young
• people
• youth
• Vietnamese
• Catholics