The sound of the bells is unsettling…

(Baonghean) - As Baonghean Newspaper has reported, one of the reasons why the contractor cannot lay asphalt concrete - the final item at the localized obstruction point, which is 410m long, on National Highway 1A, passing through hamlets 11 and 12, Quynh Giang commune and block 8, Cau Giat town (Quynh Luu district) - is due to church bells. Every time the contractor begins construction, the church bells of some parishes belonging to Thuan Nghia Parish ring out, and immediately afterwards, thousands of people (many of whom do not live along National Highway 1A or live in other communes) flock to National Highway 1A to obstruct, insult, and threaten the construction crew…

The sound of the bell transports the reader to a peaceful Vietnamese village setting.Simple, rustic, and incredibly familiar: “My village is shaded by bamboo, the evening bells ring, the church bells chime/ Life is joyful in my beloved village, the shadows of betel trees and boats on a river…”. In the Quy Nhon prison cell in November 1941, amidst the harsh prison life, the poet To Huu had profound feelings about the church bells: “Every morning/ On the rooftops of the city/ The church bells ring/ Every evening/ Falling down on the soul/ Birds return to their nests/ The church bells ring/ The sound resonates/ Gently and vast/ Peaceful and tender/ Softly carrying meaning/ A myriad of sweet words of love…”.

Preventing the contractor from commencing construction of National Highway 1A in Hamlet 11, Quynh Giang Commune (Quynh Luu District).

For example, on the afternoon of August 14, 2014, when contractors and authorities began construction on National Highway 1A, the section passing through Quynh Giang commune and Cau Giat town, the church bells of Yen Luu, Thuan Nghia, and Tan Lap parishes (belonging to Thuan Nghia parish) rang. Immediately afterwards, over 1,000 parishioners gathered to obstruct, insult, and threaten the construction workers. On the morning of September 7, 2014, when the contractor began construction on National Highway 1A in Hamlet 11, Quynh Giang commune, the bells rang again, and then about 400 parishioners gathered to obstruct the work, causing prolonged traffic congestion. Subsequently, on the morning of October 9, 2014, while the contractor was working on the section passing through Block 8, Cau Giat Town, the bells rang again at the churches of Tan Lap, Thuan Nghia, Yen Luu, etc., and then about 300 parishioners came to obstruct the work, forcing it to stop.

Obstruction of construction on National Highway 1A in Hamlet 11, Quynh Giang Commune (Quynh Luu District).

It is noteworthy that although the localized encroachment points only involved 31 households, hundreds, sometimes thousands, of "unrelated" people—those without houses or land along National Highway 1A, or even from other communes and areas—came out to protest and obstruct the construction of this national key project. Some individuals even exploited their religious beliefs to threaten and isolate Catholic households who had agreed to hand over the land to the contractor, aiming to prevent these parishioners from exercising their rights and civic duties, and to hinder construction on National Highway 1A at these points. Such actions not only violate the law, the Ordinance on Religion and Beliefs, and Decree 92/2012/ND-CP detailing and implementing measures for religion and beliefs, but also violate the regulations of the Church's doctrines and canon law.

The question arises: why do some citizens—the parishioners—violate the law and the doctrines and laws of the Church? According to our investigation, it is because they are following the will of their "superiors." "Without the opinion and permission of their superiors, no one would dare ring the bell to gather people in the streets," one parishioner stated.

In fact, for every church of the Church, whether large or small, parish or chapel, the image of the bell holds a very sacred meaning, and its ringing must follow specific regulations. On holidays and Sundays, the church usually rings the bell three times. Only on Christmas Eve are all six bells rung. Outside of holidays, church bells are rung three times daily at 4:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 5:00 PM; these are the hours for prayer. There are also other regulations, such as the bell ringing to signal everyone in the parish to pray for the soul of the recently deceased (9 rings for men, 7 rings for women), and the long bell ringing to announce the good news on important feast days…

I recall that on June 28, 2001, during the blessing of the bell tower at Can Xay Parish, Long Xuyen City, Bishop Bui Tuan (Long Xuyen Diocese) wrote: “With the church and its bell, when we know how to use them, we will find happiness in our daily lives. These happinesses will be small, but abundant and profound… Hope will outweigh disappointment. Love will be stronger than hatred. Unity will be broader than division… The church and its bell must be intimately connected to serving the Word of God. Then, from serving the Word of God, we will live the Word of God and dedicate ourselves to it, even if we have to strive to overcome countless obstacles. The result is that a culture of love will gradually be established widely, and a Kingdom of Heaven, a Kingdom of Love, will gradually enter the hearts of all people.”

However, the ringing of church bells at several chapels in Thuan Nghia Parish on the afternoon of August 14th, the morning of September 7th, and the morning of October 9th, 2014, can hardly be said to be for "serving the Word of God," but rather to gather parishioners (mostly unrelated individuals) to block the construction of a key national project on National Highway 1.

I have a friend who was born and raised in Quynh Giang commune, Quynh Luu district. Her house is not far from the church. She told me that in her hometown, both Catholic and non-Catholic people live together, but they are united, loving, and supportive of each other. The regular ringing of the church bells every morning has become a shared "clock" for the whole region. Every time they hear the bells, everyone wakes up and begins preparing for a new day. Students like my friend take advantage of the time to review their lessons before class. The sound of the bells has become ingrained in everyone's consciousness as an indispensable part of daily life. Even though she is not Catholic, for my friend, the bells have become a part of her childhood memories, filled with beautiful and unforgettable moments. Later, as she grew up and moved away from her hometown, in the hustle and bustle of life, every time she hears the church bells, she feels a pang of nostalgia for her homeland. The awakening bells bring you back to your birthplace, to your loved ones, family, friends, and the kind, simple people of your Catholic neighborhood. However, during a visit home, witnessing hundreds, even thousands, of people blocking National Highway 1A after the bells rang, causing prolonged traffic jams, my friend shared, "I feel uneasy and something is broken and heartbreaking inside…"

Even a non-believer like my friend feels heartbroken, so I can't imagine how those devout parishioners will feel when they realize they've been exploited by those "higher authorities," and that the church bells ringing whenever the contractor starts construction on National Highway 1A aren't meant to guide them in "serving the Word of God," but rather to serve other purposes unrelated to the Church? They might even be driven to illegal activities?

Text and photos:Reporters