Among Troubled Youths, Church is Increasingly Present

According to AsiaNews via the Institute for Religion and Public Policy (IRPP), South Vietnam’s Catholic Church’s “pastoral activities have grown by leaps and bounds thanks to the work of laymen and women, especially among the young.” The report says that “they provide a moral compass to those who live separate from their families.”

The report says that “recently, in the southern part of the country, a Young People Conference was held in Phan Thiet that brought together thousands of young people.” Also, it says, “in Can Tho diocese some 50 street counselors operate among street kids,” and that “Catholic volunteers work with troubled children.” In most of these cases, “the kids come from broken homes, surviving shining shoes, selling lottery tickets or performing manual tasks for local store owners,” the report states.