A “visitation” that continues to this day
“Twenty years do not mark an end, but the beginning of new ‘visitations.’ ” This was one of the highlights of the homily delivered during the Mass of Thanksgiving celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Congregation of the Augustinians of the Assumption’s presence in Vietnam.
Drawing on the Gospel account of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, the celebrant, Father Benoît GRIERE, did not merely dwell on an event from the past, but offered an interpretation of the story in the light of faith. Mary set out not because she knew in advance everything that was going to happen, but because she believed in the word of God. Elizabeth welcomed Mary with joy, not because all her difficulties had come to an end, but because she recognized that God was present and at work in the very heart of her life.
It is also the story of so many people who wrote the first pages of the history of the Augustinians of the Assumption in Vietnam. Twenty years ago, a few young people had the courage to leave their homeland to immerse themselves in a new language, a new culture, and a journey whose future was uncertain. From a human perspective, it was a decision fraught with challenges. But from the perspective of faith, it was a humble response to God’s call. Like Mary long ago, they set out with the simple conviction that God always walks ahead of them and prepares the way for those who know how to trust in Him.
Perhaps that is why, when we look back on these twenty years of presence, what matters most is not the number of communities founded, the number of religious, or the number of pastoral works carried out. What is most precious is recognizing the hand of God, who discreetly accompanies us at every step of the journey. Every person we meet, every community formed, every door that opens is a sign of grace.
The Mass of Thanksgiving and the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of our presence are not meant merely to look back on the past, but to continue on our journey. Twenty years is long enough to give thanks, but also short enough to remind each of us that the mission still lies ahead. The Congregation is called to undertake new “visitations”: to go out to meet new people, new peripheries, the poor, the forgotten, and those who thirst for the Gospel. This is precisely the spirit in which Mary lived out her visit to Elizabeth, and it is also the spirit that the Congregation of the Augustinians of the Assumption wishes to continue to embody throughout its missionary journey.
In a spirit of gratitude to God and appreciation for others, on the morning of August1, 2026, the Congregation of the Augustinians of the Assumption solemnly celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving to mark the 20th anniversary of its presence in Vietnam. The Mass brought together bishops, priests, men and women religious, benefactors, family members, friends, and a large crowd of the faithful, all united in giving thanks to God for the countless graces He has bestowed upon them over the course of these two decades.
At the end of Mass, Father Pierre Trần Văn Khuê spoke on behalf of all the Vietnamese Assumptionist religious to introduce the various participants in the celebration. He also expressed his sincere thanks to all those who have accompanied and continue to accompany the Congregation’s mission in Vietnam through their prayers, support, and love. In particular, he mentioned the late Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Phạm Minh Mẫn, that shepherd who had generously welcomed and supported the Congregation’s initial presence in the Archdiocese of Saigon; he also paid tribute to the late Father Bosco Nguyễn Văn Đình, O.F.M., who had accompanied, guided, and assisted them during the crucial preparatory stages. He also expressed his gratitude to Father Inhaxiô Hồ Văn Xuân, pastor of Gia Định, the parish where the first community was established…
Twenty years is a memorable journey, but it is only the beginning of a new one. Let us pray that God will continue to walk with us, so that the sons of Father Emmanuel d’Alzon may always follow Mary’s example, constantly setting out to bring hope, unity, and the Gospel of Christ to all. So that “the Kingdom of God may reign within us and around us.”
