Capuchin Friars in Vietnam

The first two Indonesian friars (Medan province) arrived in Vietnam on March 06, 2009.  They lived there for over a year as guests of the Friars Minor (who currently have a province with more than 250 perpetual friars and over 100 post-novices). They then rented their places of residence, which for various reasons they had to change a few times. Last year they bought for the first time a house of the Order in this country. The presence of the Capuchin friars is taking root. 

Since 2016, they have been receiving young people for formation in our life. They do candidacy and postulancy in Vietnam, then move to the mother province for novitiate, post-novitiate and studies in philosophy and theology. In 2023, the first Vietnamese Capuchin friar (the fruit of this mission) made his perpetual vows. Besides him, there are 22 post-novices, one postulant and one candidate (these two are still in Vietnam). The goal is to have in the next few years a healthy group of perpetually professed. The dream is to be able to generate the conditions (adequate houses and sufficient formators) to have all the formation in Vietnam as soon as possible.

To date, six friars have been sent from Medan Province, three of whom make up the current fraternity. They make a great effort to learn the Vietnamese language, which, because of its peculiarities and sounds, is very difficult for all foreigners. Moreover, as foreigners, they cannot carry out public pastoral activities: only once a week, they take communion to some sick people; and with the local friars in formation, they help in a soup kitchen; they cannot even wear the religious habit outside the house, which the local religious can do without any problem. The limitations of outside activity mean that our friars have a very intense fraternal life, carrying out all the services within the house and maintaining a well-ordered and truly profound prayer life. Some of these activities are done together with the Capuchin Sisters of the Holy Family, who live nearby.

Let us pray to the Lord that He will continue to bless our Capuchin presence in Vietnam, that we might continue to plant the seeds of our charism there. May it take root in this blessed and fertile land that has given so many martyrs to the Church and continues to give so many missionaries today.           

Not to be forgotten, it must be mentioned that we have Vietnamese friars who entered the Order in other countries where they emigrated.