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| Children from Hamlet 5, Thanh Son Commune, play in the grounds of Xuan Truong Parish. Photo: Van Truyen |
The sight of people of all faiths coming together for recreation and activities, similar to that at Xuan Truong parish, is becoming increasingly familiar in every village, hamlet, and neighborhood in the province. This contributes to creating a healthy living space and a safe place for people to play, alongside parks and gardens managed by the State.
Creating living spaces for people.
Currently, besides the main hall and functional buildings, most religious establishments allocate a certain area for planting trees and arranging seating for people to relax, create beautiful landscaped areas with fixed or themed decorations for festivals and holidays, and provide some children's games… They are open from morning to evening for people to come and participate in activities.
An Khuong Parish (Tan Hung Commune) is open from early morning until evening for parishioners to gather in the area in front of the main hall. Father Nguyen Minh Chanh, parish priest of An Khuong Parish, said: "The parish grounds are spacious and planted with many trees, with stone benches placed in many locations, making it a place where people from the hamlets come to relax. In addition, the parish has volleyball and football courts for young people to practice. The parishioners here are very mindful of their behavior; young men and women ride motorbikes without revving engines or swerving, and they greet elders; everyone is conscious of collecting trash before leaving… Furthermore, many children and young people who come to the parish are also taught cooking and how to safely install electrical equipment."
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh (from Tan Hung commune), she brings her grandson here every afternoon to play and relax. The two of them really enjoy coming here because they meet many people from the neighborhood, chat while enjoying the cool breeze, and the children have space to play.
For many years, the stone benches under the shade of trees in front of the main hall of Dai Giac Pagoda (Tran Bien Ward) have become a popular spot for locals to rest and relax in the early mornings and evenings. In addition, many passersby and street vendors consider it a familiar resting place during the hot sun.
Nun Thich Nu Dieu Tri, abbess of Dai Giac Pagoda, said: "The pagoda is kept clean and its doors are wide open for the convenience of the local people. During holidays and festivals, the pagoda also decorates with many small scenes for people to take souvenir photos. When people come here to have fun, they are all conscious of maintaining cleanliness. Through this, the pagoda and the community together create a green space, a miniature 'park' right in the heart of the residential area."
Each religious site is a miniature "park".
Religious establishments are typically characterized by their large size, so in addition to the main hall and functional buildings, they often have a very large courtyard. Therefore, these establishments proactively renovate the courtyard area into an open space for community activities for the local residents.
Currently, approximately 2.6 million religious followers in Dong Nai province are participating in religious activities at more than 2,500 religious establishments. |
According to Venerable Nun Thich Nu Nhu Thanh, abbess of Long Giao Pagoda (Cam My commune), the locals see the pagoda grounds as a place to meet and chat whenever they have free time; groups of elderly people bring their children to chat while looking after their grandchildren… The pagoda has planted more trees to provide shade and added miniature landscapes during holidays and festivals to bring joy to everyone.
Regarding the provision of living spaces for residents in the community, especially religious establishments planning renovations in the near future, during a visit by delegations from religious organizations to the Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Council, Provincial People's Committee, and Provincial Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Mr. Duong Minh Dung, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department, stated: During the construction of religious establishments, the government always encourages and facilitates the creation of additional living spaces for residents after completion. This contributes to the beauty of residential areas, making religious establishments closer to the people and providing them with healthy living spaces. Many religious establishments have done very well in this regard, and the province hopes that religious establishments will continue to focus on creating living spaces – miniature "parks" – right within their premises in the future. This aims to work with the government to improve the quality of life for the people.
According to Bishop Nguyen Tan Tuoc, Bishop of the Phu Cuong Diocese, after the reorganization of the two-tiered local government and the merger of the province, a portion of the clergy, officials, monks, and Catholic parishioners of the Phu Cuong Diocese are located in Dong Nai province. Over the past period, the Phu Cuong Diocese has mobilized resources to work with the local authorities on social welfare, including activities to improve the cultural and spiritual lives of the people. In the future, the clergy, officials, monks, and parishioners of the Phu Cuong Diocese will continue to focus on creating spaces for people to live and work at religious facilities, contributing to building a prosperous, beautiful, and civilized Dong Nai province.
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Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/dan-toc-ton-giao/202603/cong-vien-trong-co-so-ton-giao-14b42ac/
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