An indigenous congregation for men which lost most of its members and property after the country’s reunification 36 years ago has experienced a great revival with a record number of new Religious. “This year our congregation has set a record number of Religious who took vows,” said Father John Hoan Nguyen Huu Vinh, former superior of Hue-based Congregation of the Sacred Heart. Sixteen Religious took their first vows and four others took their final vows at Ben Ngu church on July 29 at a special ceremony presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Francis Le Van Hong of Hue and joined by 70 priests. 1,200 Catholics also attended the event. Father Vinh, 88, said since 2006 the congregation has had on average six or seven new Religious taking their vows every year. “There are so many young men who have joined the congregation that we have not enough places for them,” he added. The priest said many young men throughout the country join his congregation to do evangelization work in the future. Since the local Church is not allowed to take part in educational activities and his congregation’s properties were confiscated by the government, “our top priority is to train priests to work with poor people in remote places,” he said. Father Vinh said many Religious were killed or went missing and their buildings were ruined during the Vietnam War. After the country was reunified under communist rule in 1975, the congregation had 15 left while others had to change their vocations since their properties were confiscated. Since 2000 former Religious and alumni from foreign countries have been providing money to rebuild new facilities, he said. Father Anthony Huynh Day, superior of the congregation, said after their first vows, Religious are required to study philosophy and theology at major seminaries or Church institutes before they will be ordained. Father Day, 57, said they lack personnel to work at their parishes and mission points in eight dioceses. Founded in 1925 by French Bishop Eugène Marie Joseph Allys, the congregation of the Sacred Heart has 19 priests, 59 Religious, 15 novices, 21 postulants and 70 aspirants.