Catholics from a northern diocese are providing food, blankets and money for poor people and patients to enjoy Tet, the lunar new year festival, and survive the winter weather.

“Since Jan 11, we have been offering 7,000 kilos of rice, 100 blankets and 70 million dong (US$3,350) to local elderly people, orphans, people with physical disabilities, the sick and fishermen regardless of their background, as a way to express Christian love,” said Father John Baptist Vu Van Kien, head of Caritas in Hai Phong diocese.

Fr Kien said local Catholics were asked to donate money and food to poor people for Tet instead of offering them to their clergy and Religious as in the past.