ucanews.com reporter, Ho Chi Minh City
Updated: August 16, 2010 06:15 AM GMTRedemptorists in Ho Chi Minh City are offering young people free counseling on education, health care and marriage. Joseph Pham Huu Hung, who failed a university entrance exam in July, said he suffered from insomnia and dared not meet his relatives and friends for two weeks after receiving his results. “My emotional state lifted after I visited the Redemptorists’ office,” Hung, 20, told ucanews.com. “I have no money to pay for other counseling services where consultations cost 5,000 dong (US$0.26) per minute,” the student from northern Nghe An province added. He said he regretted hearing that a student from Quang Ngai province committed suicide after performing poorly in a university entrance exam. The service, which opened on July 31, is based at the Redemptorist-run pastoral center in Ho Chi Minh City. Redemptorist provincial Father Vincent Pham Trung Thanh said the service caters to the poor and underprivileged, especially young people. Local Church workers also serve victims of injustice and social evils, he noted. Father Thanh said that three qualified counselors provide the service seven days a week. Priests, Catholic lawyers and doctors man three hotlines, providing advice on issues including health care, law, family problems, love and spirituality. One counselor said that on average the service receives four cases per day. Related reports Catholics unite to help poor Hue students Redemptorists Thank Lay Volunteers For Involvement In Charity Work VT10841.1615