Accompaniment. Vietnam

Chris Chaplin, msc. On December 15/16, on my way to Australia, I stopped in Ho Chi Minh City to meet with Hoang Nguyen (Superior Vietnam) and the MSC Vietnamese community of the Australian Province, regarding a proposed discernment process recommended by the Provincial Chapter. Abzalón was already there, undertaking his accompaniment of the whole community.

On Sunday, December 17, I met with stakeholders in the discernment process. I listened to important reflections on our congregation’s mission in Vietnam and the approaching discernment planned for July this year. There are very significant matters being considered in Vietnam including what shape future ministry will take, what mission work we will be done, how to move forward with the process of recognition as an entity in Vietnam law by the national communist government, after the successful recognition of the community by the City of Ho Chi Minh. There are always questions about the capacity of a group of young man to boldly go into mission in a new way. Our young community in Vietnam can be proud of their courage and willingness to open up the MSC mission in their own land. There are many proposals including engagement with indigenous Vietnamese and social projects. “Do here in Vietnam what you are called to do, be missionary,” were the words of the Archbishop of Saigon to our MSC confrères.

At the end of my first day, I joined Abzalón and the MSC community at the new house, Thu Duç, to talk with the aspirants and Lay members of the Chevalier family. We celebrated Mass together and then a large meal.

On the morning of Monday, January 18, I met with one of our confrères who is doing the MSC Ongoing Formation Training in the Practice of Group Facilitation to interview him for the coming Training. In the afternoon I joined the professed members at Le Van Sy House together with Gene Pejo. We discussed the process of communal wisdom discernment so they could understand it well. To help them clarify better, we entered into an adapted communal wisdom session. Then, we reflected on the potential strategy that would be in place as we approach the discernment. We shared a meal together. I left for Adelaide early the following day.