Celebrating Christmas in a joyful atmosphere

On December 24, religious dignitaries, church officials, clergy and more than 1.4 million Christian believers in Dong Nai Province joyfully celebrated Christmas 2025.

Vo Tan Duc (third from right), Deputy Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee, and members of the delegation present Christmas 2025 greetings and gifts to Priest Nguyen Xuan Huy, Dean of Ho Nai Deanery, in Long Binh Ward. Photo: Van Truyen.

Celebrating Christmas with the joy of the nation

Dong Nai Province is home to a large population of Catholic and Protestant followers. As a result, provincial policies and development activities have a direct impact on these religious communities. Catholic and Protestant believers are not bystanders; they actively participate in efforts to develop the province.

According to Priest Nguyen Xuan Huy, Dean of Ho Nai Deanery and Parish Priest of Bac Hai Parish in Long Binh Ward, in addition to striving for legitimate economic development, parishioners also pay close attention to community support activities. In addition to decorating nativity scenes and lighting Christmas decorations from their homes to neighbourhoods, parish associations organise gift-giving activities to encourage disadvantaged people, regardless of religious affiliation, during the Christmas season.

He added that the religious dignitaries, church officials, and believers consistently follow and hope for positive outcomes in provincial and national affairs. "On December 15 and 19, when information emerged about the first technical flights landing at Long Thanh International Airport, parishioners and I closely followed the news and prayed for everything to proceed smoothly. We were delighted, as this marks an important milestone in the development of the province and the country,” he said.

Despite ongoing challenges, in 2025, Dong Nai's budget revenue is projected to reach 100 trillion VND. Key projects across the province are being accelerated, transport infrastructure is being upgraded and expanded, facilitating trade and travel for residents. Cultural and social development continues in harmony, while national defence, security and social order are maintained, and the great national unity bloc is further strengthened.

Priest Tran Xuan Thao, Vice Chairman of the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics, and Chairman of its Dong Nai chapter, noted that the beneficiaries of these achievements are the people, including Catholic communities. Therefore, Catholics share in the joy of Dong Nai Province’s and the nation’s development.

Sister Nguyen Thi Quynh Giao, Superior of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, Thanh Tam, in Long Binh Ward, added that in 2025, the State implemented a policy waiving tuition fees for students, which she described as highly meaningful. Citizens also received a 100,000 VND gift from the State on the occasion of National Day holiday on September 2. The value lies not in the amount, but in the State's care for the spiritual well-being of the people. Only when the country develops can the State better care for all citizens," she said.

Meanwhile, Pastor Phan Dinh Hao, representing the Southern Vietnam Evangelical Church, stated that religious activities have taken place smoothly thanks to the attention of authorities at all levels. During this Christmas season, local authorities visited churches to extend warm greetings to religious dignitaries, church officials, and believers, while also deploying forces to ensure security, protect public property, and regulate traffic during religious services.

Accompanying the province’s development

In the shared atmosphere of Christmas celebrations among Catholic and Protestant communities, leaders of the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Council, the People's Committee, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Nai Province sent 2025 Christmas greeting letters and organised visits to parishes, religious congregations, and church groups to share the festive joy with dignitaries, religious practitioners, church officials, and parishioners.

During a recent visit to Xuan Loc Bishopric, Vu Hong Van, Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee and Head of the provincial National Assembly Deputies Delegation, emphasised that 2025 is a year of special significance, marked by many major national and provincial events. These include the successful first Dong Nai Provincial Party Congress for the 2025–2030 term, which lays a solid foundation for achieving development goals during this period, with the aim of meeting criteria to become a centrally governed city by 2030. He also noted that 2026 will witness significant national events, including the 14th National Party Congress and elections of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 tenure. The Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee - People's Council - People's Committee - Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee expressed confidence that the religious dignitaries, church officials and Catholic believers will continue to uphold the spirit of “Respecting God and loving the nation”, “Living the Gospel within the heart of the nation to serve the happiness of the people”, spreading the values of “synodality, sharing and service”, and actively participating in patriotic emulation movements and campaigns, contributing to the building of a green, prosperous, civilised and modern Dong Nai Province.

According to Priest Tran Xuan Thao, Vice Chairman of the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics, and Chairman of its Dong Nai chapter, the total funding for charitable and social activities among Catholics in Dong Nai Province in 2025 exceeded 252 billion VND.

On behalf of the religious dignitaries, church officials and Catholic believers in Dong Nai Province, Bishop Do Van Ngan, Bishop of the Xuan Loc Diocese, affirmed that in the coming period, bishops, priests and Catholic communities will continue to uphold the spirit of "Living a good life and practicing a good religion", making more contribution to the overall development of the province and the country.

Priest Nguyen Minh Chanh, Vice Chairman of the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics in the province, Parish Priest of An Khuong Parish in Tan Hung Commune, noted that the provincial Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics serves as a bridge between the Party, authorities, and Catholic communities. In 2026, it will continue to implement the pastoral orientation of "Living the Gospel within the heart of the nation to serve the happiness of the people" by actively responding to patriotic campaigns launched by authorities and the Vietnam Fatherland Front. The Committee will provide guidance and encouragement for Catholic followers to continue implementing and concretising measures to effectively carry out the resolutions of the first Party congresses at all levels for the 2025–2030 tenure; the resolution of the first Provincial Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front for the 2025–2030 term; and the resolution of the 8th National Congress of Vietnamese Catholics for national construction and defence for the 2023–2028 tenure across the province. It will continue efforts to establish Committees for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics at the grassroots level and renew the content of their activities. These efforts aim to promote the sustainable development of patriotic emulation movements among Catholics, making greater contributions to provincial and national development.

By Van Truyen – Translated by My Le, Thu Ha