Lunar New Year has never been so joyously celebrated at the Good Shepherd Convent in Quezon City as it was this year. Thanks to the presence of our Vietnamese sisters and novices, we were offered a glimpse into the beauty and significance of this cherished feast. While we had been used to saying ‘Kung Hei Fat Choi’ every Lunar New Year, this year with our Vietnamese sisters, we say Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!
The Eucharist was celebrated in Vietnamese, with Fr. Peter Dung, OFM, presiding and Rev. Vincent Vien, SJ, assisting. Several Vietnamese friends of our sisters also joined the celebration.
To begin the Mass, Sr. Jacinta Duong, Novice Mistress, provided an introduction to the celebration. She emphasized the importance of the day, noting that it is the most significant and widely celebrated holiday in Vietnam. Known as Tết, the Lunar New Year is a time for family reunions, honoring ancestors, and celebrating new beginnings while wishing for prosperity and happiness in the year ahead. At home, preparations involve cleaning and decorating the house, as well as preparing traditional foods like bánh chưng (square sticky rice cake) and bánh tét (cylindrical sticky rice cake). Offerings are made at ancestral altars to invite deceased family members to join in the celebration. Adults also give children and elderly relatives red envelopes containing money as a symbol of good luck and blessings. This holiday is not just a celebration but a profound cultural tradition that reflects the Vietnamese people’s deep respect for family, community, and heritage.
For the Vietnamese sisters and novices, who are now here in the Philippines for their formation and studies, this year’s celebration was particularly unique, as they are away from their homeland and loved ones. Yet, this did not diminish the meaning and joy of the occasion.
At the conclusion of the Mass, the Vietnamese novices performed a lively and festive dance, which was even joined by the three Filipino novices, who wore the traditional áo dài dress.
Following the dance, Sr. Naty, their devoted and beloved English teacher, delighted everyone by presenting them with Li Xi (red envelopes) as symbols of good luck and blessings.
The festivities continued as they shared rice cakes with the communities in 1043, giving joy to the sisters.
Some of our Filipino sisters also visited Binondo to join in the celebrations. Indeed, God speaks to us through our diverse and colorful cultures and traditions, reminding us of His presence in all our unique expressions of faith and love.
Dreams take flight where hope abides,
Peace and joy, our hearts reside.
Through love’s light, the path is clear,
To serve the Lord, year after year.
May springtime’s grace forever shine,
And lead us to His love divine!
– Excerpt from a Prayer during the Mass
