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Hue, had formally approved the New Rules of Life. And on Juy 04 of the year
1997, Sr. Marie Cephas Tran Thi Diep, General Superior, had solemnly announced
the newly approved Rules of Life and the Bye-Laws to the Congregation.
Setting out into the Missionary Highland Region of Pleiku
Under the Office of the General Superior Sr. Marie Claudia Cong Tang Ton Nu thi
Luyen, a sincerely faithful religious who liked to expand and follow the spirit of
Vatican II, Bishop Paul Seitz invited the Congregation to come into the Missionary
Diocese of Kontum to announce the Good News to the poor of Highland people.
As General Superior, she had courageously brought the Sisters to the root of the
Gospel, according to the spirit and purpose of the Founder: “Go into the nations
and announce the Good News”.
On August 24 of 1969, with the approval of Archbishop Philipphe Nguyen Kim
Dien, archbishop of Hue, she brought the first group of four sisters: Sr. Marie
Isidore, Sr. Marie Thomas, Sr. M. Ad Nives, and Sr. Marie Aurelie who voluntarely
wanted to come to the missionary region to the service of the Minority J’rai. This was
the First Step into the Missionary service of the minority on the Pleiku Highland.
Archbishop Nguyen Kim Dien of Hue came to the Congregation’s Chapel at the
Mother House to concelebrate, gave his blessings and said good-bye to the first
sisters who set out of the Archdiocese of Hue for the missionary service to the
Highland people in Pleiku. Since then, the Congregation’s Missionary Service on
the Highland has expanded without ceasing. We are deeply grateful to our Lord
for having brought it to good success. Nowadays, the Congregation sends about
100 nuns to our 15 community houses where the sisters live to serve highland
people who come for help, or they themselves go into the deep highland regions
to serve Highland people in place ( Since then, a few other Congregations in
Vietnam have come to the Highland region to do missionary works to the highland
people.... We have been fortunate to have excellent Redemptorist Fathers living
for such a Mission, and willing to give us advice in our Mission).
The Congregation Passing Through War Experiences
The Congregation was born and has grown up with bombing and bullets firing
from wars. The following wars: 1945 Japan’s Revolution, Viet Minh’s revolution
, 1954 Geneva’s Conference dividing Vietnam into two parts at the 17 parallel
as line of demarcation (North Vietnam, Communist; South Vietnam, Republic)
; 1968 Mau Than war and 1972 Mua He do Lua’s War... All those wars were life
threatening to the sisters and their service. At times, the juvenists and postulants
had to temporarily go back home, and drop school; the professes and novices had
to migrate for their safety... In 1967, the Congregation lost two older sisters from
Uu Dem, our second high school near Quang Tri: Sr. Marie Victoire Phan Thi Tha,
and Sr. Marie Christine Doan Thi Thuan: they were caught, taken away and never
came back... The Congregation lost them forever. However, the Congregation
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