The Vietnam Fatherland Front of Ho Chi Minh City, in coordination with the city’s Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics, held a ceremony on August 28 to honour 85 Catholics in the city who have made great contributions to social welfare, education and health care.

Nguyen Huu Hiep, head of the Mass Mobilisation Commission of the HCM City Party Committee, presents certificates of merit to outstanding Catholics. (Photo: VNA)

Priest Joseph Phan Khac Tu, Chairman of HCM City’s Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics, reported that local Catholics are running more than 170 educational establishments, 20 medical facilities and 63 charity institutions for underprivileged people in the city.

Nguyen Huu Hiep, head of the Mass Mobilisation Commission of the municipal Party Committee, said the Catholic community in the city have always been an integral part of the national unity bloc. Over the past years, they have upheld the tradition of patriotism and solidarity, sharing responsibilities with society through caring for the poor and participating in patriotic movements launched by the government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and other organisations.

He stressed that their activities are in line with the spirit of the joint letter of the Episcopal Council of the Vietnam Catholic Church in 1980, which called for “Living gospel amidst the nation.”

Hiep praised the contributions of the Catholic community, and asked the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics to multiply good examples in working for the benefit of the community.

He also urged the city’s government and Vietnam Fatherland Front to support and facilitate social welfare activities of the Catholic community in the time ahead./.

VNF/VNA