Prosperity of Nghe An parishes

(Baonghean.vn) - Another Christmas season has come, parishioners are excited to welcome a peaceful Christmas in beautiful and spacious churches, the countryside is renewed with new wide roads, and large, vast fields.

These days, all the roads around the parishes seem to be wearing a new coat to welcome Christmas. From the ancient Bao Nham stone church in the rice fields of Yen Thanh, to the newly built churches in all the countrysides of Nghe An, all are lit up with sparkling colors, ready for the Christmas Eve celebration.

Nghia Thanh Parish (Nghia Dan) prepares to welcome Christmas. Photo: Thai Truong

Beautiful churches have become prominent highlights in the countryside, becoming attractive tourist destinations for visitors from all over, notably: Dong Len (Nghia Hoi, Nghia Dan); Manh Son (Tien Thuy, Quynh Luu); Bao Nham (Bao Thanh, Yen Thanh), Con Ca (Nghia Loc, Nghia Dan), Xa Doai (Nghi Dien, Nghi Loc), Trai Gao (Nghi Phuong, Nghi Loc)...

Quy Chinh Church (Van Dien Commune - Nam Dan). Photo: Thanh Cuong

Having spacious campuses and splendid churches is the contribution of many dignitaries and Catholics, as well as the facilitation of authorities at all levels in the whole province. Just a rough calculation from 2012 - 2017, Nghe An has approved the establishment of 37 parishes, sub-parishes and religious establishments; organized land allocation, land recognition, and granted land use right certificates to 42 parishes and sub-parishes with a total area of ​​181,540 m2 of land...

In addition to the joy of welcoming Christmas in new churches, many parishes are also excited because the new rural construction movement has reached its destination, and people's lives are increasingly improved. The new rural movement and the movement "All people unite to build a cultural life in residential areas" have changed the face of the countryside. Of the total 164 communes that have reached the destination in the new rural construction movement in the whole province, nearly 1/3 of the communes are in areas with Catholics.

A prosperous village in Bao Nham parish (Yen Thanh). Photo: Huy Thu

These achievements were achieved thanks to the joint efforts and consensus of the people in the parishes and the support of policies and mechanisms, budget sources (thousands of billions of VND) from the state, the support of businesses and the social community to expand roads, build more schools, build markets, expand welfare facilities, and build spacious cultural houses.

Typically, the pastoral councils of parishes, dignitaries in the parishes and people in Bao Nham parish (Yen Thanh), in the mountainous district of Anh Son... have actively responded to the movement to build new rural areas. For example, in Anh Son, parishioners have donated thousands of square meters of land, contributed over 11 billion VND, 3,000 working days to build roads and intra-field roads, and build cultural works of the commune and village. In Anh Son district alone, there are currently 6 communes with parishioners achieving new rural areas: Cam Son, Hung Son, Hoa Son, Dinh Son, Hoi Son, Linh Son.

Catholics in Hung Son (Anh Son) build concrete roads to build new rural areas. Photo: Le Van Tri

Not only the parishes in Anh Son, in recent years, the parishioners of the province have actively responded to the campaigns, including the campaign "All people unite to build a cultural life in residential areas, live a good life and follow the religion". Parishioners have donated nearly 99,142 m2 of land to build new rural areas, 31 parishes have been recognized as "Peaceful parishes without social evils", many localities have built many typical models of advanced parishes and parishes, contributing to making the appearance of the homeland increasingly better.

From the economic development movement associated with the construction of new rural areas, there are more and more typical examples of Catholics in production labor, economic development, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, applying scientific and technological advances in production and animal husbandry, creating many models and large-scale fields with high income and productivity reaching 65-70 tons/ha. Many businesses and households continue to stabilize and develop in production and business, achieving incomes of 500 million - 2 billion VND/year.

Talking about the contributions of Catholics to the socio-economic development of the province, comrade Le Xuan Dai - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee said: Over the years, Catholics in Nghe An have continuously promoted the tradition of national solidarity to build warm and happy parishes and families, contributing to the socio-economic development of each locality in particular and the province in general.

Football exchange between Mo Vinh Parish and Thanh Khe Commune People's Committee, Thanh Chuong District. Photo: Huy Thu

Besides the achievements, there are still limitations, some places still violate the law in religious activities; being taken advantage of by bad people, there have been activities affecting security and order, affecting solidarity in the community.

These limitations need to be rectified so that Catholics in the province can "live the gospel in the heart of the nation to serve the happiness of their compatriots"; unanimously implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws, build solidarity between Catholics and non-Catholics, actively contribute to the cause of socio-economic development, maintain political stability, security and social order and safety in the area.

Duc Dung