28 catechumans baptized at Easter in Vietnam

(April 03, 2013 ) Vietnamese Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man, Archbishop of Saigon, marked Easter by baptising 28 catechumens. He celebrated Easter Sunday Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral in the city centre before a congregation of more than 2,000 people. Thousands of pictures of Francis Pope were also handed out. Each picture had a short prayer printed on it saying - "Let us give thanks to God for granting us a Good Shepherd endowed with humility, compassion and mercy and who is close to everyone.”
In his homily, Cardinal Minh Man explained the passion and death of Jesus, which finds fulfilment in Easter. He said “Christ went to his death to save humanity and give us a new life of love and harmony. Anyone who has faith in him, will be set free from sin.” In concluding, he noted that the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist are given to every believer as the source and path for the attainment of eternal life. Catholics had joy on their faces at the end of the service. For them, the event provided an opportunity to be more steadfast in faith and witnesses of the Gospel in an increasingly secularised world.