The Liturgy of the Hours of Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam
CBF member since 1995
By: Estrella (Star) del Mar
Fr. Pascal Paschal Nguyen Ngoc Tinh, OFM, the head of The Liturgy of the Hours Group, sent me a welcoming invitation even before I left for Thailand and Myanmar. Margaret Nguyen Thi Hong Sen sent me welcoming emails to her house and Fr. Joseph Tran Hoa Hung, SDB duplicated the warm welcome to Viet Nam. I was so excited to meet the people who compose the Liturgy of the Hours Group and to see Viet Nam, its people and the Catholic Church there.
Fr. Joseph Tran Hoa Hung, SDB often represented the Liturgy of the Hours Group in the CBF workshops, assemblies and meetings. When I asked him what the Liturgy group is doing, he answered me “Bible Translation”.
The Liturgy of the Hours Group is composed of priests, sisters and laymen who are all Catholics working on translating the Bible and the Liturgy of the Hours book in Vietnamese. They are also publishing the Lectionary in Vietnamese. They got financial help from the United Bible Societies.

These are the members of the Liturgy of the Hours Group:
The pioneers are these first four who started the LHG in 1971: Fr. Pascal Nguyen Ngoc Tinh, OFM, Fr. Albert Tran Phuc Nhan who died in June 2014, Fr. Andrew Do Xuan Que, OP and Fr. Xuan Ly Bang who served until 1975 only. Of the pioneers, Fr. Pascal and Fr. Andrew are still active members until now.

The Postulants joining the group are the following:
Sr. Agnes Nguyen Thi Canh Tuyết (2008) ; Matthew Vu Van Luong, OP (2010) ; Peter Tran Hung Vinh Quang, OP (2012); Peter Nguyen Tuan Hoan (Lay) (2013); Paul Nguyen Quang Thanh (2014)

I am very grateful for their warm hospitality. I was enriched and inspired by the sharing. I enjoyed the welcome lunch and the despedida lunch with the group. The group does not only love their work but more so, they enjoy each other’s company and share a friendship that is strengthened by the Word through the years.


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