Ðoàn TNTT Kitô Vua, St. Columban - About Us

Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society in the USA

I. An Introduction

The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society is a non-profit organization, under the leadership of the Catholic Church. Its aim is to teach youths to be virtuous people and good Christians. It also offers apostolate service for the youth. Throughout its 60 years of service, the Society has kept pace with social and cultural changes of the day in attempt to reach out to the youth of all times.

The Eucharistic Youth Society was founded in Europe during World War I and was known as the Eucharistic Crusade. Its purpose at that time was to pray, especially to the Blessed Sacrament, for the conversion of hearts and the reconciliation among the disillusioned youths affected by the War. Although the Eucharistic Crusade was founded by a Jesuit, Pere Bessiere, S.J., It was brought o Hanoi, Vietnam, by the Sulpicians in 1929. By 1951, it had spread throughout the whole country and became an organized association in the early 1960s.

In 1964, in keeping with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, the Vietnamese Eucharistic Crusade was transformed into the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society and was approved by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Government. This new transition integrated both prayer and apostolate services. From 1964 to 1975, the Society grew considerable in spirit and in number. In order to accommodate the growth of the Society, the first National Convention, “Promised-Land I”, was held in 1972. Over 2,000 coordinating-leaders attended it. By 1975, there were about 140000 members, under the leadership of 3800 coordinating-leaders serving in 650 parishes within 13 dioceses in South Vietnam.

With the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, the Society’s activities ceased temporarily. However, with the waves of refugees fleeing to new homeland, the Society came to life again. The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society is currently active n many different countries in free world; Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan and the United States.

In the United States, there are about 15000members in 70 Vietnamese Catholic communities and parishes under the direction of 1300 coordinating-leaders and chaplains; In order to correspond to the growth and revival of the Society, “Promis-Land II” was convened in July 1992 at Dominguez Youth Retreat Center, Dominguez, California

II. Educational Goals

1. To educate youths in both social and spiritual life and help them become better people and responsible Christians.

2. To organize and guide all youths and help them become more aware of the Church’s mission to the world by engaging in spreading or Good News, and be involved in working for the good of society through apostolate services, in serving others.

III. Educational Objectives

1. To promote prayers for the Holy Father who is the Vicar of Christ on Earth and to pray for the needs of the Whole Church.

2. To Promote constant devotion to the Eucharist, to give thanks to God for the living bread and in turn share it with others as Jesus did.

3. To honor Mary as a model for discipleship.

4. To Support the missionary efforts of the Church through a life of prayers, sacraments, services, and sacrifices based on the discernment of God’s will.

VI. Educational Methods

In order to meet the above goals and purposes, the Eucharistic Youth Society uses suitable methods for the education of its members, both in social and spiritual life. The society bases its education on two essential elements: the love of God in the Eucharistic Sacrament and God’s living Word in the Bible.

1. The Eucharistic Sacrament is the center of the spiritual life, in which each individual starts his/her day with a morning prayer with a deep desire to be ready for Holy Communion and to take sacrifices with God in min, through loving charitable activities and through apostolate service. The day ends with minutes of silence and a moment to record” A Bouquet of Spiritual Flowers” in thanking God. All activities during the day is called a “: Eucharistic Day”. Every day of life shall be “Days of Eucharist”.

2. Living Words of God in the Bible is used as the Source of Inspirations. Images and stages of the life of Jesus along with the sites in the Bible, related to the different groups of youth are also used to serve the natural method in educating all age groups (seeding:7-10, Search:11-13, Companion: 14-17). The gradual development proceeds from easy-to-difficult. The real and workable activities such as group meetings, training camps, seminars, public games, folk songs, and dances, studying and sharing God’s Word, Annual Spiritual Retreat, ect. are carried out with the educational goals of meditating and interpreting God’s World.

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