The story of parishioners shouldering the burden of both 'party affairs and people's affairs'.

(Baonghean.vn) - For 25 consecutive years as Party branch secretary and village head, Catholic layman Phan Văn Song in Trung Thành hamlet, Phong Thịnh commune (Thanh Chương district) has always excellently fulfilled his duties, earning the love and trust of the people.

"Father Nguyen Dinh Thuc incites parishioners."

The people of Trung Thanh village in general, and the parishioners of Trung Hoa parish (Thanh Chuong district) in particular, always speak of village head and Party branch secretary Phan Van Song with affection and admiration. This is because of his exemplary conduct, his constant care, and his closeness and assistance to neighbors in difficult circumstances.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang, a Catholic from Lien Huong hamlet, Thanh Lien commune, still vividly remembers the time when she first married into the family in Trung Thanh hamlet, Phong Thinh commune, and was given her own place to live, a time of extreme hardship for her parents.

Mr. Phan Van Song directly supervised the demolition of the fence and the construction of the rural concrete road. Photo: Dinh Ha

Sympathizing with Ms. Hang's family's plight, Mr. Phan Van Song, in his capacity as village head, vouched for them to borrow 30 million VND from the bank to buy breeding cows and pigs. After three years of raising them, the cows and pigs have reproduced, allowing them to repay the loan. Ms. Hang emotionally shared: "Mr. Song is a very enthusiastic person, always ready to help others. Thanks to his help, my family escaped poverty."

Together with Ms. Hang, Mr. Song has repeatedly acted as a guarantor, helping many other people in the neighborhood borrow money to develop their businesses, and directly advising and guiding them in livestock production.

When the entire commune and hamlet embarked on the New Rural Development program in 2015, Mr. Song's family voluntarily demolished 27 meters of their solidly built fence to make way for the road. Following his example, many households in the hamlet responded and did the same. To date, the people of Trung Thanh hamlet have donated 1,750 square meters of garden land, cut down 400 trees, demolished nearly 60 meters of fence, and each household contributed nearly 1 million VND to build a standard road.

Thanks to Mr. Song's dedication, enthusiasm, and skillful community mobilization, Trung Thanh hamlet has consistently been one of the leading units in the district and commune. In 1999, it was one of the first hamlets to be recognized as a cultural village by the Provincial People's Committee. To this day, Trung Thanh hamlet maintains this title and is recognized annually as an advanced residential area. The people's lives have improved, with the highest average income in the commune. Currently, the entire hamlet has only 2 poor households, and in 2016, 89% of households achieved the status of "cultural family".

Mr. Phan Van Song (second from the right) discusses village issues with the Party committee and local government. Photo: Dinh Ha.

Speaking about the secret to successfully completing "Party work and people's work," Catholic parishioner Phan Van Song said: "The most important thing for a cadre is enthusiasm and exemplary conduct, 'saying what you mean and doing what you say.' Regarding issues related to religion, when incidents arise, it is necessary to actively coordinate with the Fatherland Front and other mass organizations to advise the Party committee, government, and relevant agencies to promptly engage in dialogue, explanation, persuasion, and propaganda in a way that is both empathetic and reasonable."

As a Catholic, he also deeply appreciated the admonition of Father Nguyen Dinh Luu (parish priest of Trung Hoa): "Do not get involved in matters that do not concern you, to avoid being misled or exploited by evil people." Evaluating Mr. Phan Van Song's role, Mr. Nguyen Van Luong, Chairman of the Catholic Solidarity Committee of Thanh Chuong District, said, "Mr. Song is an exemplary Catholic. He always shows enthusiasm and dedication in his work. He is a shining example in the movement to live a 'good life, beautiful faith,' 'respect God and love the country' among Catholic compatriots."

In recognition of his dedication and effectiveness in his work, Mr. Phan Van Song was awarded a certificate of commendation by the Thanh Chuong District Party Committee for "outstanding performance of duties for three consecutive years" and "exemplary model in studying and following the thoughts and moral example of Ho Chi Minh," and is currently being nominated for the Party's medal "for the cause of mass mobilization."

Tran Dinh Ha

Thanh Chuong Radio