Merry Christmas to FABC delegates from Saigon, Chuc Mung Giang Sinh

By: N.J. Viehland

A Catholic volunteer from the Deanery of Peace in Binh An village in Ho Chi Minh archdiocese in his Christmas greetings described the visit of delegates of the 10th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC) to his village last  Dec. 15 as “significant.”

Welcoming delegates and guest journalist for the 10th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) to Binh An deanery, one of the sites selected for the Asian bishops’ exposure to local Vietnam Church situations held Dec. 15, 2012. Plenary Assembly activities celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Holy See’s approval of FABC’s Statutes and examining challenges to the Asian Church took place Dec. 10-16, 2012 in Xuan Loc and around Ho Chi Minh. FABC delegates and participants also proposed responses that included those addressing demands of evangelization in this Year of Faith. Photo from Tien Thuy.

Tien Thuy in his Christmas greeting emailed Dec. 23 to the FABC’s Binh An exposure group, including bishops from Japan, the Philippines, Timor Leste, south Asia and Vietnam shared pictures of the exposure visit saying the images “captured all significant moments” that day in the deanery.

Clergy, religious women, youth, officials of Ho Chi Minh parish pastoral councils, and other Catholics of various sectors welcomed the FABC delegation. One journalist covering Church in Asia for more than two decades accompanied the group.

Some delegates and a guest journalist of the 10th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) discussed with religious women during a visit to Binh An Deanery on Dec. 15, 2012. Photo from Tien Thuy

They prayed with the people, who filled the church during the Mass concelebrated by Asian bishops with local clergy, they mingled with the people and posed for photos with them after Mass and dined with local clergy and Catholic officials.

“I hope all of you will not forget and keep in your heart those moments always,” Tien wrote.

His message said:

“May God’s Grace blanket on all of you with happiness and joy in your family and deanery. God will bless everything you do for people in mission through this Christmas season and Wonderful New Year. I hope to see you someday in somewhere.”

A group of bishop delegates and a journalist who visited local Vietnam churches met Catholic leders in the Deanery of Peace in Binh An on Dec. 15, 2012. Photo from Tien Thuy

Vietnamese Catholics flock to the church for the Mass concelebrated by local clergy with delegate bishops to the 10th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) who visited Ho Chi Minh archdiocese’s Deanery of Peace in Binh An village on Dec. 15, 2012. Photo from Tien Thuy

Young Vietnamese Catholics welcome Asian bishops and a journalist attending the10th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) to Binh An deanery of Ho Chi Minh archdiocese. The exposure to local Church situations on Dec. 15 was part of the December 10-16, 2012 plenary assembly. Photo from Tien Thuy.

FABC delegates and guest journalist get a view of Vietnam Church’s journey in faith during their visit to the Deanery of Peace in Binh An village in Ho Chi Minh archdiocese. The exposure trip was among activities of the 10th FABC Plenary Assembly held in Xuan Loc diocese and Ho Chi Minh from Dec. 10-16. Photo from Tien Thuy

Bishop delegates of the 10th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences shared a meal with clergy and other Catholics of the Deanery of Peace of Ho Chi Minh City archdiocese in Binh An village. Photo from Tien Thuy

Bishop delegates and a journalist attending the 10th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences in Vietnam Dec. 10-16, 2012 joined a lunch prepared for them by Catholic leaders of Binh An deanery of Ho Chi Minh archdiocese on Dec. 15. Photo from Tien Thuy

A group of delegates of the 10th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences and a guest journalist met clergy of Binh An Deanery Ho Chi Minh archdiocese ont he second to the last day of the Dec. 10-16 plenary assembly. Photo from Tien Thuy

A deanery is a subdivision of a diocese, consisting of a number parishes, over which presides a dean appointed by a bishop. The duty of the dean is to watch over the clergy of the deanery, to see that they fulfill the orders of the bishop, and observe the liturgical and canon laws. He summons the conference of the deanery and presides at it. Periodically he makes a report to the bishop on conditions in the deanery.

Binh An is one of 14 deaneries of Ho Chi Minh.

* More reports and photos of 10th FABC Plenary Assemblies

More to come on the FABC website: Features on 10th FABC plenary assembly and Vietnam local Churches.