VIETNAM Hanoi, catechism for young people to fight “a humiliated society”

Initiatives to teach the doctrine and values ​​of the Church have been undertaken in the Archdiocese of Hanoi. On August 8, representatives of local churches and districts participated in a “catechism competition” in the parish of Canh Hoạch. Seven days earlier, 400 young people gathered for a congress on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of the youth association. Meetings were also held in Phủ Lý-Kim Bảng and Duy Tiên.

Hanoi (AsiaNews) – The catechism is an “indispensable tool for children to maintain and express their faith, in a society humiliated by the lack of educational policies and ethnic integration”, according to the cardinals, bishops and priests of northern Vietnam.

This part of the country has been under Communist ideological control for almost 90 years. In recent decades, consumerism and greed have compounded the problems of materialism and atheism. All of these ingredients produced crime, family breakdown and violence in society.

The emphasis is on young Catholics. In the Archdiocese of Hanoi, some initiatives have been taken to teach the doctrine and values ​​of the Church.

On Palm Sunday (March 25), 30,000 people from each parish of the archdiocese participated in a Youth Congress, centered on “As the Father has sent me, I also send you” (Jn 20:21).

Card Peter Nguyễn Văn Nhơn, Archbishop of Hanoi, chaired the event which strengthened the bond and communion between young people.

On August 8, a “competition” organized by the Catechism Committee of the Archdiocese of Hanoi was held in the parish of Canh Hoạch.

Churches and local districts were represented in a competition after participants were selected through a quiz (hái hoa dân chủ) at the end of a period of study which has taken place in each parish from Lent.

On the occasion of the feast of Saint Alphonsus (August 1) and the 11th anniversary of the youth association, the parish of Canh Hoạch saw 400 young people participate in a congress, coming mainly from the parishes of Phương Trung, Canh Hoạch, Thạch Bích, Cao Bộ, Thượng Lao, Đàn Giản and Tân Hội.

Father John Baptist VÅ© Văn Tín, who was one of the conference participants, presented his analysis on “difficulties encountered in a life of faith”. Later, he led groups of young people in a pastoral process aimed at “strengthening the faith of young people in the love of God”.

In order to stimulate the spirit of union between the young people of the PhủLý-Kim Bảng district, around 500 young people from 13 local parishes took part on July 22 in the celebrations in honor of Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, on the theme “You are my witness”.

Six days later, 400 young people from the Duy Tiên district contributed to the celebrations of the 11th anniversary of the dedication of the parish of Yên Mỹ (Lý Nhân district) to Blessed Anrê Phú Yên (André de Phú Yên), a catechist and a Vietnamese martyr.

Father Francis Lê Thanh Nghị, district chief, offered his testimony during a meeting with the young people on the theme “Love makes love” (Tình Yêu Đáp Trả Tình Yêu).