Subject: Vietnam Report
Date: Friday, August 05, 2011 1:44 AM


Hello!

We just returned from visiting 3 parishes in very remote parts of Vietnam.  
We were on poorly-paved roads, then dirt roads, then dirt paths.
The churches we visited were truly beautiful and well-kept, 
saying alot about the very poor people who live in those parishes.
Yet their God, their faith, their priest and their parish church mean everything to them.
It was so obvious and beautiful.

If you look up the word "hospitality" in the dictionary
you will certainly see a picture of the Vietnamese people.  
They are so warm and so hospitable.  They know how to welcome guests.

At each stop, as soon as we arrived, a delegation of local people greeted the Bishop,
applauding him and kissing his hands while singing to him songs of welcome.

I was next as the American priest and Don Turbitt as well.

We were ushered to a living room of the Rectory where a platter
of cold face cloths had been prepared, one for each of us to wipe our faces and hands.
Then came all the beverages and fruit and nuts and other foods.

The third stop included a buffet lunch with all kinds of things.
The Bishop invited me to take some meat.  
While I was eating it, he said it was dog.
Then he asked me to try some cubes of what looked like meat from another platter.
It was crocodile!  Both dog and crocodile are not bad, by the way!

Eating is important to these people as well as socializing and singing.

The first stop was with the Vicar General who is 74 years old and in poor health.
No priest retires here!  Imagine!

All in all, I was privileged that the Bishop asked me to accompany him.
He brought a gift to each sick priest.
I am sure they were touched by his pastoral care and concern for them.

Now, I must get ready for my presentation at 7:30 PM in the Cathedral this evening.
We have been drawing crowds of 400 to 500 people each evening.

Thanks for the prayers and keep them coming!
Father Frank