On September 1, 2026, Hien Linh Parish joyfully celebrated its 50th anniversary. Archbishop Joseph Nguyễn Năng of the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City presided over the Thanksgiving Mass. Concelebrating with him were Fr. Joseph Phạm Tuấn Nghĩa, S.J., Provincial of the Jesuit Province of Vietnam, together with priests from both the Society of Jesus and the diocesan clergy. Nearly 1,500 of the faithful gathered for the celebration.
A journey sustained by God’s grace
In his homily, Archbishop Nguyễn Năng invited the faithful to look back upon the past fifty years with hearts of thanksgiving to God and gratitude for the many generations who, often quietly and without recognition, had sown the seeds of faith, laid foundations, and patiently nurtured the parish community.
During its first ten years, the community of Hien Linh Parish used the chapel of the Jesuit Novitiate for the celebration of Mass and other community activities. After moving to its present location, a former kindergarten opposite the Trần Công Ngọ military compound was renovated and transformed into the parish’s new church.
For forty years, that small and simple church has been at the heart of the community’s life. Countless Masses have been celebrated there. Children have received the Sacraments of Christian Initiation; couples have entered into the sacrament of Holy Matrimony; and many elderly parishioners and loved ones have completed their earthly journey and returned to the Lord.
Throughout these five decades, God’s abundant grace has continued to sustain the people of Hien Linh. The little church has therefore become more than a place of worship and liturgical celebration. It has become a place where the memories of generations are preserved - a place where joys and sorrows, beginnings and endings, encounters and farewells have all been lived in faith and entrusted to God.
From a small community to a growing family of faith
Fifty years ago, Hien Linh Parish was born within the embrace of Mother Church, with approximately 250 parishioners belonging to several dozen families. From a small community in a rural area facing many difficulties, Hien Linh has gradually grown into a community of faith, love, and hope. Today, more than 4,000 parishioners belong to the parish, organised into eight pastoral sub-parishes.
Yet the parish’s mission is far from complete. Many people living within its territory have not yet come to know the Lord. For this reason, the 50th anniversary is not simply an occasion to remember the past. It is also a moment for the community to discern anew the call and mission that God entrusts to it for the present and the years ahead. Hien Linh Parish is preparing to build a new church, catechetical center, and parish house in response to its growing and diverse pastoral needs. But beyond the construction of buildings, the parish is called to become an ever more vibrant community rooted in faith and love.
Not simply to grow in numbers, but to grow in love. Not simply to build structures, but to build people. Not simply to gather those who already know the Lord, but to open its arms to those who have not yet come to know Him. Not simply to preserve the seeds that have already been sown, but to continue sowing new seeds.
An Apostolic Blessing for the parish community
At the end of the Mass, Fr. Phạm Tuấn Nghĩa, S.J., announced the Apostolic Blessing of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, granted to Fr. Peter Nguyễn Đức Trí, S.J., Pastor of the parish, and to the entire Hien Linh Parish community on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. The Apostolic Blessing was subsequently imparted to Fr. Trí, S.J., by Archbishop Nguyễn Năng.
In response to this grace, Fr. Trí, S.J., speaking on behalf of the Hien Linh Parish community, offered thanksgiving to God and expressed his deep gratitude to the former pastors and associate pastors, benefactors, and all those who have quietly served and contributed to making Hien Linh Parish a common home for generations of the faithful. He also expressed his gratitude to the Archbishop, priests, men and women religious, guests, and all those who had accompanied and supported the parish in preparing the celebration.
A parish closely linked to the Jesuit mission
The fifty-year history of Hien Linh Parish is also deeply intertwined with the history and apostolic mission of the Society of Jesus in Vietnam. The parish is often referred to as the “mother parish” of the Jesuits in Vietnam, as it was the first parish established within the Society’s apostolic mission after the Jesuits returned to serve in Vietnam in 1957. Today, Jesuits continue to accompany the community of Hien Linh Parish as it seeks to live out its faith and fulfil its mission.
Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the parish’s patron saint, may the Lord continue to pour out His abundant blessings upon the priests and the community of Hien Linh Parish. May Hien Linh Parish always be a sign of God’s merciful love in the midst of this neighbourhood, so that ever more people may come to know the Lord, recognise His love, and draw near to Him.
En todo amar y servir - In all things, to love and to serve (St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, [233])
By Jescom Vietnam
