VINH, Vietnam (UCAN) -- A priest who founded a Religious congregation for women regardless of their educational background says poor rural women should be able to become nuns to serve God the same as better-educated women.

Father Joseph Nguyen Dang Dien founded the Missionary Charity Congregation in Vinh diocese, central Vietnam, in 1980. It celebrated its 25th anniversary last July at the priest's parish in Nghi Thuan village, Nghe An province, 300 kilometers south of Ha Noi. The province is the native province of Ho Chi Minh, founder of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Among the 500 people at the anniversary event were local government representatives, even though the local government has yet to extend legal recognition to the congregation. The late Bishop Pierre Tran Xuan Hap of Vinh recognized it in 2000.

Twelve nuns professed their perpetual vows and 48 others their first vows at the anniversary event.

UCA News recently interviewed Father Dien, 71, who is based in Nhan Hoa parish. That and Bich Thuan parish, both of which he has been administering since 1994, have a combined total of 4,000 Catholics. Father Dien also heads Vinh diocese's committee for laity.

The diocese covers Ha Tinh, Nghe An and Quang Binh provinces. It has 459,568 Catholics out of a total population of 5.9 million. Working for the diocese are 150 priests, 60 seminarians, 21 seminary candidates, 354 nuns and 7,393 catechists.

The interview with Father Dien follows:

UCA NEWS: How has the congregation developed in its 25 years?

FATHER JOSEPH NGUYEN DANG DIEN: From the two first communities founded in 1980, we have built and developed the congregation, and now we have 64 nuns, 44 novices and 150 aspirants in 26 communities in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and Vinh. With their own labor and savings, the nuns have built 20 houses with gardens and bought bicycles and motorcycles.

It was in the past 10 years that the congregation developed rapidly, establishing 24 new communities over that period of time. This was partly due to the government's more open policy on religion and partly because we admitted local residents to avoid trouble with getting residence permission. (Editor's note: Authorities in Vietnam require people to apply for a permit if they wish to reside legally in a province or city that is not their native place). With only two people, I can establish a new community and then look for more members. Now some communities have up to 30 members.

Most of the nuns have finished high school, and some are studying at junior colleges and vocational schools, majoring mainly in traditional medicine, modern medicine and preschool pedagogy.

What motivated you to start the congregation?

I witnessed the terrible famine in 1945, when Japanese troops occupied Vietnam. It killed more than 2 million people, including many in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces. My father had to steal rice from his brother, and he gave it to the poor. The memory of this never faded in my mind.

In addition, my mother died when I was a child. My family was very poor, so my childhood was a succession of days of hard work to make a living.

At the age of 10, I was sent to Nha Duc Chua Troi (God's Home), a formation house like a minor seminary, where I was trained in charity and proper attitude towards others. I therefore paid special attention to the poor, the disadvantaged, the abandoned -- especially orphans.

After I was ordained a priest in 1966, I thought of establishing a congregation. I noticed many rural girls wanted to pursue a Religious vocation but they could not due to their lack of education or money. Their parents were so uneasy that they came to ask me for help. I received these unfortunate girls, even those who finished only third or fourth grade in school. I financed their further studies, provided them with accommodation, medical expenses and bicycles, and created jobs for them. It was the first step toward establishing the congregation.

How did the congregation eventually start?

The first community was set up on May 31, 1980, the feast of the Visitation, patroness of the congregation, at Ky Loi village in Ky Anh district, Ha Tinh province. This took place in a thatched hut where I was looking after an old woman. At first a number of girls stayed there and took care of the woman.

In the same year, Quy Chinh community was established in Van Dien village, Nam Dan district, in Nghe An province.

I met a former nun of the local Lovers of the Holy Cross Congregation. She went to her home and stayed there for a while because her godfather had died. Later her congregation refused to allow her to return. I suggested she collaborate with me in establishing a new congregation and she agreed. We adopted two disabled children there. After that, we admitted 12 more women. This community is now the motherhouse of the congregation.

These two first communities are located in the two parishes I used to serve.

How do the communities operate?

During the early period, I did not dare to think of developing the congregation. I asked the women to pray regularly, love each other wholeheartedly and try to earn a living.

Therefore they can do all kinds of work. They worked as daily hired laborers growing rice, raising animals, weaving blankets and curtains, embroidering, knitting and sewing. They worked as bricklayers, brickmakers or construction workers. They also opened photocopying service shops and kiosks to sell fish sauce, cooking oil, salt and other foodstuff. In brief, they did not refuse to do anything.

When they earned enough money, they bought land and houses, and built larger premises. We recently set up a farm to raise cows and goats.

What kind of formation do they get?

In early years I used to visit each community and teach them how to maintain an atmosphere of silence. I asked them not to talk in their dormitory or let others enter there. I also advised them to participate regularly in liturgical activities at the parish and to love people.

In 1990 I started to send some postulants to Ho Chi Minh City, where they worked for a living, studied catechism, learned to play musical instruments, and learned the Religious way of life in a number of congregations there.

My rectory has served as both a training house and a novitiate for nuns since 2000. We have launched five courses, each lasting nine months. The courses, with 20 participants each, include theology for laity, dogma, ethics, the Bible, spirituality, humanities and music theory. Some priests from Vinh Thanh Major Seminary and I have been responsible for teaching.

The students have to renew their temporary residence permit with the local authorities every three months. Forty-eight nuns from the first batches professed their temporary vows in July.

After two years in the novitiate, the nuns are sent for a four-year course at institutes run by Religious congregations in Ho Chi Minh City.

After professing temporary vows annually for three years, they make their perpetual vows. They take the three vows of chastity, obedience and poverty. They also take a fourth vow of charity.

In what ministries do the nuns work?

The congregation adopted its regulations in October 1990. Its motto is: "Be joyful in God and happy with everybody and everything." In addition to helping parishes with pastoral work, the nuns serve patients, visit and give food to the elderly, finance eye operations for the poor, and run day-care centers and remedial classes.

In 2003 we set up a center for orphaned, disabled and abandoned children. Currently seven nuns are looking after 12 children there.

How does the congregation recruit members?

We admit girls with the intention of pursuing a Religious vocation and a holy life. We do not base admission on their level of education. But it is better if they have a high level of education, so after being admitted they will be given opportunities for further studies.

In the past, Religious congregations did not admit candidates based on their education level. I think now many congregations have unconsciously prevented vocations by paying too much attention to this. The Church should offer opportunities for poor and undereducated people to pursue their Religious vocation since the Church is for the poor.

Do you expect the government to recognize the congregation?

In 2002 I submitted petitions asking the provincial government to recognize the congregation, but they just promised to consider. However, they let the congregation operate. It is very likely that they will officially recognize it by the end of the year.

What is the main thing you have learned from establishing and running the congregation?

I established the congregation with my bare hands, with the grace granted by God and the Blessed Mother. I am only a rural priest without any experience in organization and diplomacy. I studied on my own and consulted documents from southern (Vietnam) congregations. With the achievements of the congregation, I realize that God is the real founder and I am only his tool.

What are your future plans for the congregation?

On the grounds of the motherhouse in Quy Chinh, I am building a two-story building with 13 rooms that will serve as a novitiate and have accommodations for aspirants and a chapel. Construction work started in 2004 but is now suspended due to lack of funds. We need about 100 million dong (approximately US$6,300) to finish the construction.

I want the congregation to develop in depth. I hope the nuns will go to college or study abroad. Only one is studying English at college. And the congregation will be present in all parts of the country. We are preparing to establish a new community in Phat Diem diocese.

Besides founding the congregation, what stands out from your 40 years as a priest?

In 1953, when all priests of Vinh diocese were imprisoned and I was in third year at the minor seminary, I prayed to the Blessed Mother for help. And less than a year later all the priests were released, after the Geneva Agreement signed between France and the Vietnam communists in 1954.

In 1963 I was vomiting blood after being imprisoned for one summer, which threatened to end my pursuit of a priestly vocation. I prayed to Saint Joseph and in a dream the saint showed me a remedy. I recovered soon after that.

After I was ordained a priest in 1966, I was kept under surveillance at the bishop's house. Local authorities did not allow me to give pastoral care in parishes until 1970. During that period I directed the construction of a church in Vinh, and this caused me to be imprisoned for six months.

I longed to establish a congregation to meet the urgent needs of the local Church. Only those who lived during the historical period from 1950 to 1985 can know and fully appreciate our torment, and the urgent demands of the local Church.

Some people asked me: "How can you think of establishing a congregation in this current society? Are you mad?" I was very sad and lamented to God. I heard a voice in my heart saying: "You work where you live." And I decided to found the congregation.

END

(Accompanying photos available at here)