A bustling new rural parish

During the process of building new rural areas in Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh provinces, in addition to doing a good job of disseminating information about the role of the people as the main actors in building and enjoying the achievements of the new rural areas, the Party committees and local authorities also effectively promoted the role of priests, religious leaders, and officials by regularly meeting, exchanging ideas, and maintaining close relationships with the leaders of parishes and sub-parishes.

Parishioners decorate a Christmas tree at the Phu Nhai Minor Basilica in Xuan Phuong commune, Xuan Truong district (Nam Dinh province).

The parishioners, imbued with the spirit of "respecting God and loving the country," and "living a good life and upholding moral values" through the sermons and teachings of the priests, strive to contribute to building their homeland into prosperous, beautiful, and civilized rural areas. These days, the atmosphere of preparing for Christmas is bustling throughout the alleys and residential areas of Xuan Phuong commune, Xuan Truong district (Nam Dinh province). In the evening, along the road leading to the Phu Nhai Minor Basilica, strings of star-shaped LED lights and national flags illuminate the rural area of the parish. These are truly livable rural areas . A week before Christmas, parishioners of Phu Nhai Parish gather at the church to prepare for Christmas Eve. For Catholic families, this is a significant occasion, and those working far from home arrange to return home to reunite with loved ones in the sacred and vibrant atmosphere of the church on Christmas Eve. According to Pham Xuan Vu, Chairman of the People's Committee of Xuan Phuong commune, the commune has over 2,000 households with 7,200 people, of which Catholics account for more than 73% of the population. With a stable political system, guaranteed security and order, and the consensus and cooperation of both Catholic and non-Catholic residents, the commune has maintained a relatively high economic growth rate in recent years, its rural landscape has improved, and it has achieved many accomplishments throughout the process of building new rural areas. In November 2023, Xuan Phuong commune was recognized as a model new rural commune. Prior to that, all eight hamlets of the commune had been recognized as model new rural residential areas. With a complete and modern infrastructure, a clean and fresh environment, and a cultural life and income of 86 million VND/person/year, Xuan Phuong has become a desirable place to live and a leading example in the emulation movements of Xuan Truong district. Xuan Truong District has over 190,000 inhabitants, of which Catholics account for approximately 30%, concentrated in the communes of Xuan Ngoc, Xuan Tien, Xuan Phuong, Tho Nghiep, etc. Within the district is the Bui Chu Bishopric, the center for Catholic activities in six southern districts of Nam Dinh province and part of Nam Dinh city; and the Phu Nhai Shrine, designated as a Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception... The district has 389 Catholic Party members. According to Tran Van Vy, Vice Chairman of the Xuan Truong District People's Committee, during the district's new rural development process, religious leaders and followers have been the core force in propagating and mobilizing parishioners to contribute their efforts and resources to building their homeland. With the support and approval of all sectors of the population, the district completed its new rural development program in 2017. To date, 20 communes and towns in the district have been recognized as achieving advanced new rural development standards, including six communes that have achieved model new rural development standards. The district is striving to complete the criteria to propose to the Prime Minister for recognition as an advanced new rural development district in 2024, one year ahead of the target set by the District Party Congress Resolution. These days, the Christmas atmosphere in Kim Son district (Ninh Binh province), where more than 47% of the population are Catholic, is also very lively. Many parishioners said that this year's Christmas atmosphere is more joyful than in previous years because Kim Son district has just received the certificate recognizing it as a new rural district, achieving the goal two years ahead of schedule and being one of the first districts in the country to be recognized as a new rural district according to the criteria for the 2021-2025 period with higher requirements and quality. In Xuan Chinh commune, Kim Son district, we were taken on a tour by the Vice Chairman of the People's Committee, Vu Huy Nam, a young Catholic official, who introduced us to the changes in his hometown. Xuan Chinh was established in early 2020, based on the merger of Xuan Thien and Chinh Tam communes of Kim Son district; Catholics account for nearly 85% of the population. Although it is a purely agricultural commune, far from the district center, thanks to the joint efforts of officials and people, the commune has successfully implemented the new rural development program; in which, the people contributed more than 91 billion VND, equivalent to nearly 40% of the total resources for new rural development in the commune. To date, the socio-economic situation of the commune has undergone many positive changes, with many households owning multi-story houses; roads are solid, spacious, clean, and beautiful; the poverty rate is below 2%, and the average income per person reaches over 50 million VND/year. Promoting the role of religious organizations: The reality of the new rural development process in Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh provinces shows the significant role of religious leaders and Catholic followers in accompanying and contributing to the new rural development, clearly changing the appearance and lives of farmers in rural areas. Chairman of the People's Committee of Xuan Phuong commune, Pham Xuan Vu, said that from 2020 to the present, parishioners have contributed approximately 500 days of labor to environmental sanitation and landscape construction; voluntarily contributed billions of VND to install lighting systems on main roads; and planted flowerbeds along the roads. The commune purchased over 1,300 pairs of waste sorting bins, built and renovated the community cultural center and sports area... To ensure security and order in the area, since the end of 2022, the commune has developed a model of "Religious leaders participating in protecting security and order," inviting four heads of the parish councils of one parish and three sub-parishes to regularly participate in meetings and exchanges with the police force as an expanded task force. When incidents arise that threaten security and order, the religious leaders quickly grasp the situation, and the parish councils immediately intervene with the assistance and guidance of the commune police. After one year of implementation, this model has proven very effective, with a significant reduction in the number of law violations and criminal offenses in the locality compared to 2022.

To ensure security and order in the area, since the end of 2022, the commune has developed a model of "Religious leaders participating in protecting security and order," inviting four heads of the parish councils of one parish and three sub-parishes to regularly participate in meetings and exchanges with the police force as an expanded task force. When incidents arise that threaten security and order, the religious leaders quickly grasp the situation, and the parish councils immediately intervene with the assistance and guidance of the commune police. (Chairman of the People's Committee of Xuan Phuong Commune, Pham Xuan Vu)

To foster consensus and encourage Catholic parishioners to contribute to their homeland, the local government regularly meets and exchanges ideas, maintaining close relationships with parish leaders and church officials. This helps to effectively promote the role of priests, clergy, and church officials. The parishioners are imbued with the spirit of "respecting God and loving the country," and "living a good life and upholding moral values," striving to contribute to the common good through the preaching and teachings of the priests. Father Joseph Pham Quang Vinh, parish priest of Phu Nhai Parish, stated that, in accordance with the commandment "A good Catholic must be a good citizen," all religious and spiritual activities in the parish are integrated with the general activities of society. Every year, the parish organizes major celebrations, attended by approximately 30,000 parishioners, and receives attention and support from the local government. The priest always exhorted the parishioners to strive for honesty and charity, to do their best in fulfilling their duties, and to contribute to movements for the building and development of their homeland.

Following the teaching "A good Catholic must be a good citizen," all religious and faith-based activities in the parish are integrated with the general activities of society. Every year, the parish organizes a major celebration, attended by approximately 30,000 parishioners, and receives attention and support from the local government. (Father Joseph Pham Quang Vinh, Parish Priest of Phu Nhai Parish)

Father Tran Cong Hoan, parish priest of Xuan Hoi (Xuan Chinh commune, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province), who was recently commended by the Chairman of the People's Committee of Kim Son district for his positive contributions to building new rural areas, shared his "secret" to mobilizing parishioners: being close to them and coordinating well with local authorities to achieve the goal of making their lives increasingly happy. The movement "All people unite to build new rural areas, civilized urban areas, live well, and uphold moral values" in Ninh Binh province has recognized many exemplary Catholics. A prime example is Party member Pham Van Nghiem, a Catholic, currently the Party Secretary and Head of the Fatherland Front Committee of Tay Lang Noi village (Gia Lap commune, Gia Vien district). Mr. Nghiem actively took the lead, mobilizing organizations, individuals, businesses, and the people to contribute over 5 billion VND to build the village's cultural center. The people were mobilized to contribute over 500 million VND to expand and upgrade transportation routes in the village... To date, all roads in the village have been concreted; nearly 90% of households have solid, multi-story houses; the average per capita income in the area has reached over 75 million VND/year; Tay Lang Noi village has been recognized as a model new rural residential area. According to Le Van Kien, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ninh Binh province, all districts and cities in Ninh Binh have met the standards and completed the task of building new rural areas; including nearly 30% of communes meeting the advanced new rural area standards and nearly 15% of communes meeting the model new rural area standards. The province is focusing on completing the criteria for a new rural province in 2024. The key to success in building new rural areas in the province is the effective implementation of solutions appropriate to the local situation, mobilizing the entire political system, and the active and effective participation of all the people, including the significant contributions of religious leaders and followers in the area.

People

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