REPORT OF HUE
TERESA CHARITIES, LOOOKING BACK A JOURNEY
1. CONSTITUTION OF TERESA CHARITIES
Teresa Charities in Hue was founded by Deacon Vu Thanh in 2004 and began
operations with the support of Archbishop Stephene Nguyen Nhu The, the archbishop of
Hue Diocese, and then become the spiritual Archbishop of Therese Family.
With the goal serving the line old people at the ages of over 75 regardless of religion, the Charities IS led by the founder , Deacon Vu Thanh An, with the cooperation of
many Fathers, Sisters, Buddhist Nuns, as well as volunteers at their localities
many Fathers, Sisters, Buddhist Nuns, as well as volunteers at their localities
Started in 2004, there were just 04 locations with around 300 old people being helped with VND 45,000 each month (approximate with 10 kilos of rice). The number of
the old to be served has been increased more and more. In 20007, the number of locations was up to 69 and there were 3,900 people to be served.
In addition, the Charites Fund also went on developing more with 11 new locations
at Central Vietnam, namely Quang Bunh, Ha Tinh, Vinh-Nghe An, Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai. Our Fathers, Sisters, Buddhist Nuns and the volunteers when receive monthly money, will right away deliver to the Elders with their signatures for reporting. If anyone can’t come to receive because of sickness, our Volunteers visit their homes to give them direct-ly.
Only coming with them, we can listen to what they share so we can understand all the
sorrows they have to suffer when they are getting old and lonely without any care of any
children or grandchildren, especially, we can also feel their happiness and their comforts
when they get monthly gifts from Family of Saint Therese’s benefactors.
Through the recorded videos and the photographs expressing the sincere emotions
of the old, Deacon Vi Thanh An as well as our benefactors have established the Lazarus
program with the purpose to particularly help the poor, Elderly, especially alone Elders
without any spiritual and material supports.
2. July 2007: LAZARUS PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN HUE
At that time, there were only 9 sisters to take care of about 200 elders from Quang Tri
Thua Thien Hue. Each Sister served for more than 20 people. Their main activities are to visit and to take care of the Elders such as helping them
to have a bath, washing up, cooking, cleaning the house, praying, etc… Especially Lazarus
Sisters have to consider them as their parents and give love to them.There are some Sisters who go and come back around 100 kilometers in one day to
do their tasks. Also, some other Sisters have to walk in early morning in order to come
back home not too lately. Gifts for Elders are just several packages f instant noodle, milk,
fish sauce and cooking powder. However, above all it’s the love to the poor Elderly and the
sense to serve God through their poor situations.
We witnessed a Lazarus Sister at Quan Tri province who embraced an elderly man
tightly at his moribund moment. She prayed to God and Saints to help him till his end. We
also met a non-Catholic poor man at Hue, when he was dying, he held tightly the Holy
Cross given by a Lazarus Sister and wished to be back to God at the last moment.
There was a woman at Da Le (Hue City). Because of her extremely difficult situation,
who had intended to leave her husband who was having polio and 2 her young children to
go to South Vietnam, but finally she gave up her initial intention being affected of constant
visiting from Lazarus Sisters and help from benefactors.
And there are still, still poor individuals whom we have met that we can’t mention
here all. Many Elders passed away, however we believe they are praying God for our
program, benefactors and us.3. PROGRAM OF RAISING ORPHAN CHILDREN
On march 2007, at the time e of Lent, on occasion of visiting Hue, by the introduc-
tion from Father Joseph Doung Duc Toai, the Deacon An Vu went to visit Binh Minh Homeof Hue Diocese, deeply felt about situation there, he and our benefactors warmly
welcomed five children to Therese Home, through raising them is known as not a simple
thing, requires a lot of determination and effort. Raising them is already a difficult thing,
educating them is even a so much more one
However with the trust in God, the belief in life and the support from benefactors,
they are saved and are growing day by day. Difficulties still ahead- even more and more
but because of their future, because of mission that God have Gave to Deacon An Vu, they
will continuously grow within Theresa Family so that when they are mature they will
continue serving people, serving life as Deacon An Vu and benefactors do.
At present, they are at age of over eight, well studying at class 3/12, obeying and
moral. They are growing and developing day by day… that is also the very growing
concernedness of the Founder.
To our benefactors, please continue supporting praying and encouraging them.
4. NOVEMBER, 05TH, 2011: at Phu Cam Church, Hue Diocese, on 8 am, Archbishop
Stephene together with 30 other Fathers celebrated the Mass solemnly to give Decision to
approve Family of Saint Theresa as a private association to have activities in Hue
Archdiocese.
This is as a recognition about many contributions of the Family Of Saint Theresa oat
Hue Diocese for past 7 years that had gathered hundred s of Volunteers to serve constantly
for 4000 poor elders and orphan children in Hue Dioceses. After giving the Decision to Deacon An Thanh Vu, Archbishop Stephano said: “the
goal of the Family of Saint Theresa is to help the Family’s members to come close toward
God through saint Theresa’s spiritual little way:” Praying and doing charities”
He continued: “in the heart of the Church, my Mother, I will be love. “That is our
eager prayer today, and that is also the best wish to send to the Family of Saint Theresa on
the day the association officially joined and lived at Hue Diocese.”
On May, 05th, 2011: Family of Saint Theresa group was established initially with 10
members. Most of them are students, or graduated d students. There are members who
stay in the Family; there are others who live outside; there are others who already go to
work…. However every week in Thursday night, they gather at the Theresa Family to
meditate God’s word and share with each other all the joy as well as sorrow in their life, in
their work. They are young, but always try their best to support the Elderly poor. Every
week, they take turn to go to several kilometers to visit the elderly. They participate
actively to retreats and Catechism classes guided by the Fathers and Hue Dioceses’
Archbishop.
At present, there are 20 members of the Family of Saint Teresa group in Hue. Except for
members who live too far from Hue, the rest of ember always arrange time to attend
meetings to share God’s word weekly, as well as invite Father and Spiritual Archbishop to
come to celebrate Mass at Theresa Family.
2. July 2007: LAZARUS PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN HUE
At that time, there were only 9 sisters to take care of about 200 elders from Quang Tri
Thua Thien Hue. Each Sister served for more than 20 people. Their main activities are to visit and to take care of the Elders such as helping them
to have a bath, washing up, cooking, cleaning the house, praying, etc… Especially Lazarus
Sisters have to consider them as their parents and give love to them.There are some Sisters who go and come back around 100 kilometers in one day to
do their tasks. Also, some other Sisters have to walk in early morning in order to come
back home not too lately. Gifts for Elders are just several packages f instant noodle, milk,
fish sauce and cooking powder. However, above all it’s the love to the poor Elderly and the
sense to serve God through their poor situations.
We witnessed a Lazarus Sister at Quan Tri province who embraced an elderly man
tightly at his moribund moment. She prayed to God and Saints to help him till his end. We
also met a non-Catholic poor man at Hue, when he was dying, he held tightly the Holy
Cross given by a Lazarus Sister and wished to be back to God at the last moment.
There was a woman at Da Le (Hue City). Because of her extremely difficult situation,
who had intended to leave her husband who was having polio and 2 her young children to
go to South Vietnam, but finally she gave up her initial intention being affected of constant
visiting from Lazarus Sisters and help from benefactors.
And there are still, still poor individuals whom we have met that we can’t mention
here all. Many Elders passed away, however we believe they are praying God for our
program, benefactors and us.3. PROGRAM OF RAISING ORPHAN CHILDREN
On march 2007, at the time e of Lent, on occasion of visiting Hue, by the introduc-
tion from Father Joseph Doung Duc Toai, the Deacon An Vu went to visit Binh Minh Homeof Hue Diocese, deeply felt about situation there, he and our benefactors warmly
welcomed five children to Therese Home, through raising them is known as not a simple
thing, requires a lot of determination and effort. Raising them is already a difficult thing,
educating them is even a so much more one
However with the trust in God, the belief in life and the support from benefactors,
they are saved and are growing day by day. Difficulties still ahead- even more and more
but because of their future, because of mission that God have Gave to Deacon An Vu, they
will continuously grow within Theresa Family so that when they are mature they will
continue serving people, serving life as Deacon An Vu and benefactors do.
At present, they are at age of over eight, well studying at class 3/12, obeying and
moral. They are growing and developing day by day… that is also the very growing
concernedness of the Founder.
To our benefactors, please continue supporting praying and encouraging them.
4. NOVEMBER, 05TH, 2011: at Phu Cam Church, Hue Diocese, on 8 am, Archbishop
Stephene together with 30 other Fathers celebrated the Mass solemnly to give Decision to
approve Family of Saint Theresa as a private association to have activities in Hue
Archdiocese.
This is as a recognition about many contributions of the Family Of Saint Theresa oat
Hue Diocese for past 7 years that had gathered hundred s of Volunteers to serve constantly
for 4000 poor elders and orphan children in Hue Dioceses. After giving the Decision to Deacon An Thanh Vu, Archbishop Stephano said: “the
goal of the Family of Saint Theresa is to help the Family’s members to come close toward
God through saint Theresa’s spiritual little way:” Praying and doing charities”
He continued: “in the heart of the Church, my Mother, I will be love. “That is our
eager prayer today, and that is also the best wish to send to the Family of Saint Theresa on
the day the association officially joined and lived at Hue Diocese.”
On May, 05th, 2011: Family of Saint Theresa group was established initially with 10
members. Most of them are students, or graduated d students. There are members who
stay in the Family; there are others who live outside; there are others who already go to
work…. However every week in Thursday night, they gather at the Theresa Family to
meditate God’s word and share with each other all the joy as well as sorrow in their life, in
their work. They are young, but always try their best to support the Elderly poor. Every
week, they take turn to go to several kilometers to visit the elderly. They participate
actively to retreats and Catechism classes guided by the Fathers and Hue Dioceses’
Archbishop.
At present, there are 20 members of the Family of Saint Teresa group in Hue. Except for
members who live too far from Hue, the rest of ember always arrange time to attend
meetings to share God’s word weekly, as well as invite Father and Spiritual Archbishop to
come to celebrate Mass at Theresa Family.
The happy thing is that there are members who graduated and have worked far but
frequently back to the Family to join activities as well as help to monitor the Family such
as: teaching knowledge for small children, teaching English for students 2 times each
week…
Time by tune, with good and orderly activities, now there have been more and
more new members to join that makes the Family more and more young and holy.
Hope that “first trees of Hue give flowers and fruits.” Please pray more for them.
Today Family of Saint Theresa make anniversary of 11 years old—a journey not too long
but enough for all members to look back to determine the way we have gone and will go, to
realize graces God give to us. Wish that we always choose God as our All and what we do is
that just for the glory of God.
May God save the Family of Saint Theresa and God, we commend all things to you.
In the everlasting love of God, Praise the name of God forever.