Dehonian Youth in Vietnam – Small in Number, Great in Heart

The visit of Father Carlos Luis Suarez to Vietnam in 2022 inspired the local community to dream of forming a group of young people who would embody the spirituality of Fr. Leo Dehon in today’s world. Compared to Indonesia or the Philippines, where the Dehonian Youth Movement is already active and dynamic, the Vietnamese group is still in its early stages, counting only about twenty young members. Yet, what they may lack in number, they make up for in unwavering enthusiasm, commitment, and love for the Heart of Jesus. Their dream is simple but profound: “One day, we hope to be as strong and zealous as our Dehonian brothers and sisters across Southeast Asia and around the world.”

A Heart That Serves

Recently, the Dehonian Youth of Vietnam organized a Mid-Autumn Festival celebration for children of factory workers in Long An Province — a pastoral community newly established after more than twenty years of Dehonian presence in Vietnam. Long An is home to nearly 100,000 workers. The community has recently been officially recognized by the local Bishop and permitted to form a parish and build a church to serve the workers and their families. In this setting, the Dehonian Youth found a meaningful way to live their charism of oblation and reparation — by bringing joy to children whose parents spend long hours in factories.

“Ecce Venio” in Action

This event was not just a simple charity activity. It was a concrete way for the young people to express their own “Ecce Venio” — “Here I am, Lord!” — by offering their time, energy, and creativity for others. Through such experiences, the Dehonian spirit of love, service, and reparation becomes alive and contagious.

The Dehonian Youth Vietnam continue to look forward with faith and joy, trusting that this small seed — nurtured by prayer, friendship, and service — will one day grow into a tree that gives life and shade to many.

“From His Heart, we learn to love and to give.”