An old Vietnamese saying goes: “When drinking water, remember its source.” This saying was true in the past. It is still true these days. No matter how far you study or work away from your home, and no matter how successful you are in life, perhaps your motherland is always in your heart. What I have just said about you is also what I feel in my heart. Though I have been living far away from Thanh Hoa for a long time, many marks about Chinh Toa parish where I was born and grown-up remains unforgettable and unchangeable in my mind and heart. Chinh Toa is the Vietnamese translation of the English word, “Cathedral.” So my parish is named after the name of the church. In what follows, I’ll use Chinh Toa and Cathedral alternatively, according to different contexts.

Chinh Toa parish is regarded as the mother parish of 52 parishes of the diocese. As ever, Chinh Toa has been always the pride for its solid basis of belief through its monumental history, prominent activities and promising future.

The church Chinh Toa is located at 232A, Truong Thi precinct, Thanh Hoa City. Being located at the centre of the city, the church always attracts curious eyes of, not only inhabitants of Thanh Hoa province, but also visitors from all over the country. It was built by the priest Bourlet-Do and the local constructors, and the construction took them 4 years, from 1926 to 1930. While churches in other dioceses such as Phat Diem, Sai Gon, etc were built on a massive scale, the church Chinh Toa of Thanh Hoa diocese was the opposite. It was built on a small land. Moreover, the architecture of the Cathedrals in other dioceses could be described as grand, grandiose; whereas the Cathedral of Thanh Hoa is of the simplest form. Although it was repaired many times, its original beauty still remains. Besides, Thanh Hoa Cathedral’s architecture is not only simple but also unique. If you have time to go inside the church, you can discover these simplicity and uniqueness. For instance, there are wide corridors at both sides of the church; they are wide enough for hundreds of people attending holy masses. For me, the stunning simplicity, the uniqueness, and the atmosphere of tranquility of the Cathedral of Thanh Hoa diocese cannot be found in other Cathedrals in the country.

  Looking at the map of the diocese, you can see a mature and independent parish with a magnanimous history and advantages in terms of geographical position. As you know, the centre of Thanh Hoa city is the busiest and the most modern area where living standard is higher than that of other districts. It is also the area suitable to connect and exchange culture and knowledge. Thus, the Cathedral is the place from which Catholicism is easily introduced to everyone living in a big city, both Catholic believers and people with other religious beliefs. Especially, being near the Bishop House, it is really easy to contact with spiritual life commonly held dear by the Catholic Church as a whole. I believe that nowhere else in the centre of the city can you find the peaceful atmosphere than at the church of Chinh Toa. As a result, I often introduce the Cathedral to foreigners with a sense of pride that fills my mind and heart.

Chinh Toa parish belongs to the deanery of the same name. According to the statistics of 2011, the parish had 4,855 parishioners and 11 sub-parishes, including Tri So, Phu Luu, Tuc Tranh, Ngoc Mai, Phu Hanh, Ke Son, Truong Tai Da Sy, Dai Do, Tan Thao, An Loc, Co Hau. Luckily, I have ever had chances to visit a few of these sub-parishes. Some have no church, so people have to attend mass normally held in private house, in a small chapel or even on a boat. For this reason, some churches of sub-parishes are being repaired and upgraded, so that believers may have stable places to worship God. Though material condition for worshipping is not as good as they wish, the parishioners of Chinh Toa are regularly taken part in both solemn liturgy and daily mass. This is the strength of the parish and of each parishioner. 

That the parish is firm and developed in terms of life of faith as you see it today is due to the services of priests who have sacrificed their effort, time and even wealth. Since its foundation, the Cathedral parish has been looked after by many well-trained priests. I really admire the present bishop Joseph Nguyen Chi Linh. He is not only a talented bishop, but also a self-motivated vicar of Chinh Toa parish. Talking about the bishop, I must use many words to describe him with all my pride. But basically, he is the person of cleverness and clemency. He always has clear-sighted decisions regarding his management and guidance of Chinh Toa parish, with an aim to find the truth of God’s plan for the parish. It is my view that, to be a bishop is to aspire after nothing than being committed to love. Bishop Linh’s selfless service of the diocese as a bishop and of his parish as a vicar is an evidence for what has been just said. Looking at the growth of Thanh Hoa diocese and that of the parish assigned to his compassionate care, I can feel how much the bishop loves the sheep whom our Lord has entrusted him. He has done these by wholeheartedly giving himself to the creative activities of the up-building of the local church. That is the greatest gift that God has granted those who are called to be the shepherds of the people of God.

However, bishop Linh does not take care of the city parish with thousands of believers by himself. He does his care-taking with indispensable help of his collaborators. I mean here the roles of the priests who have helped him in the up-building of the parish. The administrator priest, father Anthony Trinh Dinh Thieu and the assistant priest, father Peter Vu Van Thang, are the two efficient helpers of the bishop. They help bishop Linh to solve complicated problems of the parish and to take care of spiritual life of the parishioners. Their responsibility is also challenging and important. Their daily work is not only to celebrate masses and to preach the good news, but also to make sure as to how to improve the parishioners’ life, both spiritually and materially. Apart from the above mentioned priests, father Anthony Vu Manh Ha and father Peter Vu Van Hai also contribute their great effort to take care of the parish. In order to make the bishop’s work more convenient and efficient, they look after some sub-parishes. Like the bishop, the priests have boundless love for their flock. They share each parishioner’s life with sympathy and compassion, and thus becoming, as always, a safe homeport for all people in the parish.

 Making a home is to link people together, bringing together people’s hearts and minds into a union generated by the miraculous grace of God. Thus, thanks to this uniting and transformative power of God’s grace, the parishioners of Chinh Toa parish are always connected to one another, and on this ground, they have built up such a strong religious community. All the members of the parish help and encourage one another to work and to go to church frequently. Because of living together in a religious family, believers’ aid plays an important role in the foundation and the development of the parish. For instance, in each significant mass, believers volunteer to give their all money or similar contribution to the parish. These contributions will help the priests to mend and to upgrade infrastructure. No matter how little or much money they have, the parishioners of Chinh Toa generously contribute their portion so as to construct a firm community in God’s love. They become one, at least, in this perspective. Each parishioner of the parish is living this slogan " solidarity is a valuable heritage of Thanh Hoa diocese " by embracing their indispensable responsibility in the up-building of the parish. This, I think, is the most important aspect of communal life that the parish as a whole has used to constitute a strong religious family as you see it today.

The share and compassion have become big topics to be taught to the believers of God. Hearing the Word is not enough; God’s Word needs to be practiced. Being a religious family, Chinh Toa parish is quick at helping others without hesitation. They always pioneer in works of charity and the up-building the diocese. For example, the parish has many programs organized to help poor children and many organizations set up to bring smile and light for the people in need. No matter how far the road it is, how hard it is, the parishioners are still willing to visit and to give small gifts to unfortunate others. It is my view that only in love and hope can people do these lofty works.

There is a rumor saying that the parishioners of Chinh Toa parish are unfriendly and somehow withdrawn. I am sure that is just hearsay. If you come to our parish, you will be heartily welcomed. "Just come and see "(Ga. 1,39). 

For the reasons just mentioned, Chinh Toa parish is worthy to be the mother parish of the diocese. The parish was chosen to be the place where important and unforgettable events were held. For example, the 80^th anniversary of great blessing of the foundation of Thanh Hoa diocese took place here, with the presence of thousands of people coming from all parishes of the diocese and from different dioceses in Vietnam and other countries. The parish is also chosen to yearly host such great festivals as, for instance, Christmas. The festival attracts thousands of people, not only believers but also visitors. It is, as always, an event of splendor, of colorful light, and of solemn liturgy. But more importantly, it is the time for the people gathered by the loving God to celebrate the mystery of the God who has chosen to be with us through the incarnation of the Logos. I call this a great blessing God has given to Chinh Toa parish. Yes, all is grace!

However, Chinh Toa parish has its own difficulties. One immediate concern of the parish is to have enough money to build churches for its sub-parishes. Moreover, the city is not as wide as countryside, so it is hard to find a suitable and convenient space to build a church. Another difficulty is the shortage of talented person. Perhaps, the more the society develops, the fewer children want to take part in spiritual activities. The seeds of the gospel find little or unfertile soil to be planted. Only a few young people want to become nuns or seminarians.  Chinh Toa parish has also to face up with many other difficulties ahead concerning the local authority and land. I wish that Chinh Toa parish will go through all these difficulties, and be ready to enter the promising future of the whole diocese. Each of us should spend time praying and try to become active members of our beloved parish.

To sum up, with above-mentioned points, I always feel proud of Chinh Toa where I have had strong attachment during the last 18 years. That is a long time for me to understand and feel the passionate love of the bishop and the priests for parishioners of the parish. Chinh Toa parish’s development connects closely with Thanh Hoa diocese’s maturity. 80 years with many ups and downs, our parish has obvious and steady advance. I am fortunate to have been a member of Chinh Toa where the belief in God is strong and solid.

Visit the parish to enjoy our hospitality, enthusiasm and so on! For parents, they should enhance the ever-awareness and responsibility to teach their children who will be owners of Catholic Church in the near future. As for me, Chinh Toa parish, as always, remains my beloved parish. I wish I would bring, through my study and intelligence,  the life and reputation of the parish to everyone. (Chinh Toa’ girls are often described as arrogant and talkative. This is not true. I would like to affirm the contrary, that is, they are very lovely, gentle and friendly).

My God, we thank You for your aid and love with which we can overcome the troubles in this life full of snare. Please continue bestowing our parish with your grace, so that it may grow more firmly, so as to be a witness of your salvific love in the world.  We know that you will never abandon us, you are always present beside us, especially in the time we need you the most.  Please confer us also your wisdom and your knowledge with which we can build up the diocese in general and Chinh Toa parish in particular. I hope that tomorrow is but another day revealing the blessed history of the parish, making true the slogan we have chosen for the 80^th anniversary of foundation of the diocese, which goes, “expressing gratitude to the past – making the present prosperous – entering the promising future.”

Jesus, you are always in my thought and feeling!

                                                                                                             In Christ

                                                                                                             Maria Thuy