Laypeople flock to pastoral training center

Thousands of Catholics are taking faith formation courses offered by Ho Chi Minh City archdiocese.

Auxiliary Bishop Pierre Nguyen Van Kham of Ho Chi Minh City

Auxiliary Bishop Pierre Nguyen Van Kham told UCA News 1,700 laypeople attend evening courses during the week at the archdiocesan Pastoral Center.

Another 650 catechists, parish council members and marriage counselors attend weekend sessions, and 220 Religious women attend theological and scriptural classes at the center, Bishop Kham said.

“The center has an active role in giving formation to lay leaders from local parishes, Catholic associations and groups, because there are no Catholic schools in our country,” the archdiocese´s auxiliary bishop pointed out. He heads the Episcopal Commission for Christian Education of the Vietnam Bishops´ Conference.

Church-run schools and educational institutes were confiscated after the country´s reunification under communist rule in 1975. No religions are allowed to provide general education.

The pastoral center runs courses in catechism, holy music, liturgy, Scripture, theology and ministries.

People attending a weekend course on marriage and family values at the pastoral center

Bishop Kham, who has a degree from the Catholic University of America in the United States, said many priests and Religious now travel abroad for further studies as authorities loosen curbs on religion.

The archdiocesan center was established in 2004, after the government returned a former minor seminary compound to the Church. A newer building has been constructed on the site since then.

It recently hosted a meeting the Federation of Asian Bishops´ Conferences Office for Education and Faith Formation conducted for 41 educators and heads of Catholic schools and educational centers from 10 countries.

Participants at the Oct. 22-26 gathering discussed ways of management, renewed strategies and social activities of Church-run educational centers. They also talked about how to put the spirit of the Eucharist into action at Church facilities in the varied political and economic environments in Asia.