Maintain peace in the Catholic neighborhood.

Maintaining security and order in Catholic communities is not only the responsibility of law enforcement agencies, but also the result of consensus among Party committees, local authorities, police, religious leaders, and the Catholic community. From Da Phan in Van Loc commune to Tan Tong in Nga An commune, peace is maintained starting from each family and each alleyway through people-oriented, empathetic, and reasonable approaches.

The parish priest and the head of Da Phan village discussed with the commune police force about maintaining security and order in Da Phan parish, Van Loc commune.

The village of Da Phan currently has 357 households with 1,766 inhabitants, of which over 90% are Catholic, primarily practicing at the Da Phan parish. Mr. Nguyen Van Lien, the village head and head of the village's Fatherland Front Committee, is also a Catholic. This seemingly small detail creates a natural connection between religious life and grassroots mobilization efforts, where all policies and regulations require the consensus of the people. At village meetings, Mr. Lien regularly disseminates local laws and regulations to the Catholic community.

Following Mr. Trinh Cong Toan, the head of the security and order protection team in Da Phan village, we observed numerous incidents that were detected and resolved early on. On one occasion, a conflict arose simply from the construction of a fence encroaching on the land boundary between two neighboring Catholic families. The matter wasn't major, but if left unresolved, it could easily affect neighborly relations. Upon receiving the information, Mr. Toan proactively reported it, coordinated with the commune police, and also discussed the issue with the parish priest and the parish council to mediate. A small meeting was held at the village cultural center, without written records or coercion, simply a frank and peaceful exchange. The commune police clarified the relevant regulations, while the parish priest gently reminded the parishioners to maintain unity within the parish. The two families subsequently agreed to adjust the boundary, shook hands, and resolved the small issue, thus preventing it from escalating into a major conflict.

Mr. Toán added: "On weekend evenings, especially after services, the area in front of the church used to be crowded with young people, posing a potential risk to traffic safety and order. Instead of taking rigid action, the commune police, in coordination with the village's security and order protection team, the parish priest, and the parish council, regularly remind and patrol the area, correcting the situation at the right time. Thanks to this, the noisy gatherings in front of the church have almost disappeared." For the commune police force and the village's security and order self-management teams, maintaining peace in the religious community is not about the number of cases to be handled, but about the fact that many conflicts are detected and resolved promptly when they are still in their early stages.

Leaving Da Phan village, we continued on to Tan Tong village, Nga An commune. The village road leading into the village was smooth, lined on both sides with rows of solidly built houses and neat gates. Tan Tong village currently has 211 households, with approximately 890 inhabitants, of which about 75% are Catholics, all belonging to Dien Ho parish. The concentrated living of the Catholic community creates a close-knit community, unified in their activities and actions. For many years, Tan Tong has been a shining example in the emulation movements of the Catholic community in Nga An.

Since 2014, the Nga Son (formerly) District Police have advised on and implemented the "Peaceful Parish - Culturally Advanced Family" model in parishes throughout the district, including Dien Ho Parish. The model has been widely implemented through the involvement of the Fatherland Front, various organizations, parish pastoral councils, and influential figures in the Catholic community. In Tan Tong village, 100% of households signed commitments to participate in crime prevention, detection, and reporting, maintaining security and order, and building a new cultural life within each family. During parish meetings, the commune police directly discussed issues related to social order, traffic safety, and crime prevention. Thanks to this approach, for many years, the residential areas and sub-parishes of Dien Ho Parish have experienced no crime or social vices.

Two religious communities, two different approaches, but they share a common point: leveraging the role of respected individuals and the support of local police forces. This practice demonstrates that security and order in religious communities are only sustainable when the law is properly placed within religious life, alongside faith, morality, and community responsibility, so that "living a good life and upholding religious values" is also living in accordance with the rule of law.

Text and photos: Tang Thuy

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/giu-binh-yen-nbsp-o-xom-dao-273652.htm