Centenary Jubilee celebration in Vietnam – September 30, 2025
Medical Mission Sisters in Vietnam had a meaningful Centenary Jubilee celebration on September 30, 2025 with a Eucharistic celebration at 5:30 pm at Ben Hai parish Church in Ho Chi Minh City, presided over by Rt. Rev. Matthew Nguyễn Văn Khôi, Bishop of Qui Nhon Diocese and
concelebrated by 31 priests both religious and diocesan. Just before the Mass Sr. Mary Lien presented a short video on the history of the Society and the history of MMS presence in Vietnam from 1960-1975 and the re-entry from 2022.
Bishop Matthew in his homily highlighted the following:
“In Vietnam, the Society had its first presence in Qui Nhon diocese in 1960 at the invitation of Bishop Peter Mary Pham Ngoc Chi. To prepare for the Society to have a place to serve, the Bishop built a hospital next to the Bishop’s Palace. When it was handed over to the Society of Medical Mission Sisters, the hospital was named Qui Nhon Holy Family Hospital. The hospital officially opened on January 8, 1961, providing medical care to the poor, women, children and war victims, regardless of religion. In April 1961, the Foundress of the Society, Mother Dengel, personally visited the hospital. Since 1964, war had spread throughout the diocese, and people from many places had evacuated to Qui Nhon, many of whom were wounded by bombs and bullets, causing the hospital to be always crowded. In such circumstances, the presence and dedicated healing service of the Medical Mission Sisters are truly admirable, as eloquent testimonies of God’s love for the sick, women and children.
Along with healing the sick, the congregation also trains local medical personnel to have more people to serve. The image of the Medical Mission Sisters in hospitals is seen as white-robed angels with a lovely smile on their faces and gentle gestures of service that bring much comfort to the patients and help them recover quickly. Many people also ask to return to Catholicism because they admire the kindness and loving service of the sisters.
In 1975, due to the situation of the country at that time the sisters could not continue their service and the hospital was nationalized and renamed ‘Qui Nhon General Hospital’.
Although the Medical Mission Sisters have left the Qui Nhon Diocese for 50 years, the image of the nuns is still deeply engraved in the memories of the elderly who had the opportunity to contact and be served by the nuns in the past. The presence of the Society in Qui Nhon is the only presence in Vietnam until the Society returned on September 22, 2022 and established the community with the name of Our Lady of Hope Community. With this name, the sisters want to place their trust on Mary, Mother of Hope, and ask her to always accompany and support the missionary steps of the community. This time the place that welcomed them was the Archdiocese of Saigon, especially Ben Hai parish, from where the sisters spread out to the surrounding areas to serve according to their charism and mission.”
The Centenary celebration was an occasion to make MMS known in the wider society. Many parishioners, religious, friends, relatives and benefactors came from far and near and joyfully made their presence felt. After the Eucharist a fellowship meal was served for around 250 guests in the parish hall. Vocation Brochures, bookmarks and the prayer of Mother Anna Dengel were distributed to all. The parish priest Fr. Vu was very supportive in organizing the whole celebration and he coordinated the activities with the different committees of the parish.
It was an occasion to thank God for MMS presence in Vietnam in the past and in the present being very much part of the 100 years’ history. After the celebration the Qui Nhon diocese has prepared a video on our centenary and has put it in their news bulletin!
We thank God for Mother Anna Dengel for taking the bold step to start the Society to bring about Christ’s healing presence alive in a wounded world! We too walk the journey of faith to follow in her footsteps to bring about God’s healing love to the whole of creation!
