THAI BINH, Vietnam (UCAN) -- A decade ago, many Catholics in a northern diocese wondered how a small priest with crippled legs could serve hundreds of people with leprosy and also administer three parishes at the same time.

But physical infirmity has not forced Father Joseph Mai Tran Huynh from taking a hands-on approach to ministering to people with Hansen's disease, or leprosy. Such has been his dedication that he has been lauded for his manner of serving more than 500 patients, a third of whom are seriously ill and need intensive care, at Van Phong Center for People with Leprosy.

In 1992, the priest, who turned 56 last year, was assigned to administer Tra Vi, Co Viet and Thai Sa parishes. The state-run leprosarium is in Thai Sa parish in Thai Binh province, some 100 kilometers southeast of Ha Noi.

The patients were a little perplexed when he began visiting them. Tran Duc Thi, a patient who is not Catholic, told UCA News, "An old man shaking hands with each patient, clapping each on the shoulder and giving each a present confused us at first, but later we realized he is a Catholic priest."

"His attitude and deeds do not show a distancing from the patients," he added, referring to the stigma many with the disease often face. "We really respect and lovingly call him 'Father' though many of us are not Catholic."

Father Joseph Bui Van Cam, the former vicar general, praised the priest's approach. "Father Huynh considers the patients normal people," he told UCA News. "He does not fear the unfavorable smell or being infected with the disease. He rubs holy ointment directly on their palms, while priests in the past rubbed on holy ointment indirectly with a banana leaf," he said.

Father Cam added that the priest's wisdom and people-oriented manner has favorably impressed the center's officials and local government. He said Father Huynh is allowed to celebrate Mass and administer the sacraments once a week for 150 Catholics with leprosy in the center's chapel. Previously, priests could not do so, he said, since only one Mass was usually permitted in a year, and sometimes no Mass was allowed for three or four years.

According to Father Cam, Father Huynh also asks local and overseas benefactors to give financial aid. Thanks to his work, the center now enjoys a better network of roads and the patients, irrespective of religion, are better accommodated in brick houses with tiled roofs. The patients have also received help with agricultural machines and capital for production, so they can now support their children's education.

Churches at the center also have been fixed, and a pagoda has been built.

Father Cam said that the leprosarium, which was founded more than 100 years ago by foreign missioners and now has four Catholic churches, cares for patients from many northern Vietnam provinces.

Thai Sa parishioner Joseph Nguyen Van Loan told UCA News, "Usually, we lay Catholics attend Mass together with the patients and notice that their lives are much better. Apart from the support they get from outside, they also encourage each other to grow rice, breed fish and raise livestock."

The layman added that since Father Huynh started caring for the three parishes, he has built a new church for Tra Vi, three new guesthouses for the parishes and renovated the other parish churches.

Bishop Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Sang of Thai Binh praised Father Huynh at a Mass to celebrate the silver jubilee of his priesthood in late October. He said that despite the priest's disability, "he has not only fulfilled a pastor's duty to proclaim the Gospel to the poor for 25 years, but also involved himself in serving people with leprosy with a father's love."

The Church leader recalled that when he took charge of Thai Binh diocese in 1991, he noticed a pitiable tiny man whose legs had been crippled in a fall. He was told the man was the priest in charge of the cathedral parish. "That was Father Huynh," Bishop Sang pointed out during the jubilee Mass.

The bishop also noted that Father Huynh insisted on being transferred to a smaller parish, as he was interested in working near a center for people with leprosy, people whom others avoided, because the disease then was believed to be incurable. Praising the priest for his virtues and contributions to society, Bishop Sang asserted, "The Church needs more priests like Father Huynh to serve the poor and the needy in today's society."

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