By Marlene Quaroni - Florida Catholic

Photography: MARLENE QUARONI | FC

HALLANDALE BEACH | On July 2, 2023, Archbishop Thomas Wenski made it official: Our Lady of La Vang Vietnamese Mission is now a parish.

Nine years ago, the archbishop granted the Vietnamese community’s request for a permanent home. They had celebrated Masses in several locations throughout the years: first the Schott Center in Pembroke Pines, then St. Helen Church in Fort Lauderdale. Finally, in 2014, Our Lady of La Vang Mission was founded at its current location in Hallandale Beach.

The site had been the home of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, which merged with nearby St. Matthew Parish in 2009. The Archdiocese of Miami had leased the property to a Baptist congregation. When their lease expired, and the archdiocese offered the mortgage to the Vietnamese community, they jumped at the opportunity.

“A mission often implies something provisional, or a community that is dependent on help from others in order to survive,” said Archbishop Wenski during the Mass that marked the parish’s establishment and the installation of its pastor. “Parish implies permanency.”

“This mission is now a parish,” he said. “But this parish has a mission.”

While parishes typically minister to people in a particular geographical territory, Our Lady of La Vang does not have defined territorial limits. It will be a “personal” parish, which means “the pastor is entrusted not with the care of souls of those living within a certain territory but with the care of souls of persons of Vietnamese descent,” the archbishop explained.

And because it is a parish, the administrator, Father Joseph Long K. Nguyen, is formally given the title of pastor, he added.

“Having become Our Lady of La Vang Parish, a personal parish for Vietnamese Catholics in the Miami archdiocese, is our ‘dream come true’,” Father Nguyen told the Florida Catholic via email a few days after the Mass.

He noted that his new position is “a change of a title but the same responsibilities.”

“I thank God, Our Lady of La Vang and St. Joseph (my patron saint) for a new position,” he added. “I hope that God, through the intercession of Our Lady of La Vang and St. Joseph, blesses me and gives me holiness, wisdom, strength and courage to care for my sheepfold.” 

The Vietnamese culture was on display throughout the Mass, with Vietnamese spoken throughout, and the Theresa Choir singing in their native language. A reception followed the Mass where parishioners dined on Vietnamese food.

“The Church is the father’s house and as his children we all should feel welcome,” the archbishop said. “And the best way to feel welcome is to speak the mother tongue.”

In the archdiocese, he continued, “we are very Catholic, very universal. We speak Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, Tagalog, Polish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Spanish and English.”

Archbishop Wenski, Father Long, and witnesses signed a Certificate of Taking Possession of the Church and Father Long’s Profession of Faith, signaling his new title as pastor.

The archbishop blessed and incensed the altar and a group of eight young women holding sunflowers and wearing white ao dais — long split tunics worn over silk trousers — performed a dance before the altar. Most of the women in the congregation wore the ao dais in various colors.

Members of the Vietnamese Eucharist Youth Movement wore either red and yellow, green, blue or dark brown kerchiefs around their neck denoting their rank in the movement.

“Thank you for this important event, archbishop,” said Steve Hoang, president of the parish council. “This marks the growth of the Vietnamese community in the archdiocese. Thanks to Father Long on this blessed day of our parish for making this dream come true.”

Our Lady of La Vang Church grounds include a rectory, parish hall and sanctuary. When the Vietnamese community took over in 2014, a lot of repairs were needed. Volunteers worked long hours to upgrade the facility. Although the church may be a long drive away for many parishioners, they said they are willing to make the journey to visit God once a week. 

According to Father Nguyen, the Vietnamese apostolate in the Archdiocese of Miami began in 1982 with about 25 families. The parish now has 400 registered families and celebrates three Masses every Sunday, at 8, 9:30 a.m. and noon. The 9:30 a.m. is bilingual – English and Vietnamese – for 250 children who attend the Mass and religious education on Sundays, and Vietnamese language classes and outdoor activities afterward.

“Our Lady of La Vang Parish becomes our second home where we can worship God with our own language, culture and customs,” Father Nguyen said. It also a center where the community can gather for special events such as Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

In 1798, the Vietnamese emperor persecuted Catholics in the country. They sought refuge in the La Vang rainforest and became ill. They recited the rosary every night at the foot of a tree. One night, they saw an apparition which they interpreted to be the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. The Virgin Mary told them to boil leaves of trees to cure their illness.

This story has been amended since it was published with additional comments and information from Father Joseph Long K. Nguyen.