THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Repression in the Central Highlands

After 80 years of propagation, the Vatican, on January 18, 1932, separated Kontum from Quy Nhon Diocese and established Kontum Diocese, including the territories of  Kontum, (now Gia Lai)  Pleiku, Dak Lak, and a part of Attopeu (Lower Laos). The bishops who were successively in charge of the missionary administration in the diocese were Mgsr. Jean Simon Kham (1942-1951), Mgsr. Paul Seits Kim (1952-1975), Mgsr. Alexis Pham Van Loc (1975-1995), Bishop  Tran Thanh Chung (1996-2002), and Mgsr. Hoang Duc Oanh (2003- …). The information given by UCANEWS noted that the  Redemptorists were most active in the propagation of the faith in the community of the ethnic Jarai, More than 10% of the members of this ethnic minrity have now become Catholic. After decades of Gospel preaching, multiple trials and political tension, the Jarai Catholic community actually constitutes as many as 30,000 for a population of 270,000.

     Fr. Tran Sy Tin

During the first years of the propagation, missionaries came and went.  Some stayed a period of time and left. Beginning in 1950,  Mgr. Paul Seits settled permanently to serve faith in this distant region. During this time, Fr. Joseph Tran Sy Tin made frequent visits to the region. An ardent missionary, he devoted himself to his pastoral worship, laying foundation for permanent church  services. Until then, there was only some Jarais baptized along with several Catholics of Vietnamese origin. The preaching for the faith of the region was still confided in the Redemptorists who preached the faith in missionary center in the areas of Pleiku, Pleichoet, and Checoreo-Torui in the province of Gia Lai.  According to an account of Father Tran Sy Tin, it was not until October 1969 that the Bishop of Kontum could bring four religious to Pleiku. Arriving at the place, he read to them a passage of Bible, prayed with them, blessed them, then returned to Kontum. In the beginning none of the local inhabitants dared to receive them at their houses and show them how to stay overnight in a shelter in the dark forest.  Father Tran Sy Tin accustomed himself to the ways of life of the local ettnic minority, learning the Jarai language and practicing the ethnic culture. Conversion to Catholicism began, and the faith gradually became a reality During the Vietnam War, Catholic missionaries was targeted with terror out of ideological hatred, being captured and killed in the jungle by the Liberation Front troopers. By he end of April 1975, the Communists took over South Vietnam, the missionaries were disbanded. They lived in smaller groups and stayed underground in the areas inhabited by the ethnic Jarai. Father Tran Sy Tin recalled that they survived by fishing, hunting, and cultivating the hard land with the help of the Jarai. During the ceremonies for funerals. Tr. Tin  even beat the gong for the local traditional music band. The small  group of Redemptorist missionaries compiled the Jarai version of New Testament, a book which,  Father Tran Sy Tin believed to have truly become a companion of the Jarai people in his service for faith.

Reports also noted that, in 1967, the Vatican took a part of Buon Ma Thuot (now Dak Lak) territoty to create a the  Kontum Diocese. This is the poorest Catholic diocese of the country. Like other people of the ethnic minorities, Catholics in this area lived miserably on slash-and-burn farming. Until then They contributed almost nothing to the Church materially. They relied on it for all sorts of aids and reliefs, from provisions and necessities of life to education. Still, they lived their faith loyally, without a priest to take care of religious services and without a house of worship for assembly for prayers. The diocese took charge of large mountainous areas such as Kon Chro, K’ Bang Ia Grai, Chu Prong where guerilla groups sprang up during the Vietnam War. Local cadres hailed them as heroes for their success. The expansion of guerrilla zones brought with it continuation of the elimination of the limtied propagation of the Catholic faith.  Catholicism is ever a taboo subject. Catholic practices were thus practiced in hiding and limited only to small numbers of families. It was not until 1988 when 117  martyrs of Vietnam were canonized that conversions to Catholicism of the Jarai minority resumed. The Redemptorists achieved remarkable work in this effort.  Actually, the Jarai Catholics continue to brave danger, assemble for prayers, and sing hyms together. They come from different localities. Siu Biu, aged 90, a native of Pleiku, thanks the Lord, having found God Father after baptism; Siu Kle,  a follower of Pleidjreck, disclosed to his companion he had been alcoholic. “ He is now a Catholic. He is aware of his religious responsibility for his family. He travels a 100 kilometers to come and share the Word of God with his compatriots.” A student told his fellow Catholics that one of his teachers advised him to declare himself a non-believer on the “curriculum vitea” for better chance or admission to college. He refused to do this. He would be happy to be showered with favor from Jesus Christ, his Lord.