by J.B. Vu

The country's growing materialism is the main problem, fed by economic growth, easy money and secularisation. Priests must recognise that they have three main tasks to fulfil, namely sanctification, announcing the Word of God, as well as managing their parish and carrying out charitable and social action.

Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) - Training priests is a problem all Churches face. A conference on the topic was held on 14-19 May in Thailand under the auspices of the Office of Clergy of Federation of Asian Bishop's Conference (FABC-OC). Some 91 participants attended the event, including a cardinal, two archbishops, five bishops and 83 priests from India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

"Currently the training of priests around the world is facing many challenges. In Vietnam, the situation has its own difficulties," Mgr Joseph Đinh Đức Đạo, Rector of the Xuân Lộc Major Seminary, told AsiaNews. "The development of mass media has led to good things but also bad things, which have had an impact on individuals, groups and communities," he explained.

"Catholic believers and priests are confronted by materialism. Because of Vietnam's current economic boom, many lay people and clergymen can earn easy money, which is undermining their love for God. Some priests are neglecting their pastoral ministry vis-à-vis the faithful, parishes and the Church. Their faith is starting to shatter."

A second trend is secularisation. "A growing number of Vietnamese Catholics are attracted by it and no longer feel the need for a spiritual life. Under social pressure, their needs expand and they cannot keep them under control."

As rector in the major seminar, Mgr Đinh Đức Đạo has few ideas about the situation. "Priest training must focus on a number of key issues. First, Jesus was born to save humanity. Thus, by helping others, we can build the Catholic faith. Second, the Catholic Church has entrusted its mission to priests who hold in their hands the means to carry it out. They can also administer and show the sacraments. They are especially assigned the task to build God's love among the faithful and engage in charitable actions for others."

At the time of the kings, the Vietnamese Catholic Church was brutally persecuted; yet the faithful and Church survived, preserving the faith.

Today, for some pastors, "external challenges and difficulties should not be feared." However, "The secularisation of priests (sự tục hóa)" should because it leads them towards materialism and the loss of faith. This is affecting the younger generation of priests."

Based on the current situation, each priest has three main tasks to fulfil, namely sanctification, announcing the Word of God as well as managing their parish and carrying out charitable and social action.

For Mgr Joseph Đinh Đức Đạo, "we have hope in the future of our priests. Last month, the Holy See approved our training programme for priests. Before we started the programme in Vietnam, and updated it, the Bishops' Council asked for the approval of the Holy Father, which he granted."

• vietnam
• training
• priests
• challenges
• materialism
• secularisation