On Sunday, August 25, 2024, the International President of the Militia of the Immaculata (M.I.), Miquel BORDAS PRÓSZYNSKI, and the M.I. International Assistant, Friar Gilson Miguel NUNES, arrived in Sài Gòn (Hồ Chí Minh City), at the invitation of the Provincial Custody of St. Francis Anthony Fasani in Vietnam, in order to visit this new presence of the M.I. in this country.
They were hosted at the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Friary in Hồ Chí Minh City, where the Custodial Curia and postulancy house are located.
Currently, the M.I. has a small presence in Vietnam that is comprised of young friars from the Custody, most of whom are in formation. It is hoped the M.I. will be opened up to the laity once the friars complete their formation.
On Monday, August 26, 2024, the M.I. International President and Assistant, accompanied by Friar Joseph NGUYỄN (Chính Luận), visited the Carmelite monastery in Hồ Chí Minh City to meet briefly with the members of that community, asking them to pray for the growth of the M.I. in Vietnam. The monastery is linked to St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, to whom St. Maximilian entrusted his missions. In the afternoon, they visited a number of churches including the Parish Church of Christ the King, where St. Maximilian celebrated Mass on April 2, 1930.
In this regard, one should remember that St. Maximilian visited Sài Gòn on two occasions, once in early April of 1930, on his way to Japan, and again in July of 1932, on his way to India. In both instances, he celebrated Mass here, met with the local clergy, and made plans to launch the Knight of the Immaculata Magazine in Vietnamese.
On Tuesday, August 27, the visitors met with nearly forty young Conventual Franciscan friars at the Order’s seminary and friary of St. Anthony of Padua in Bình Dương. During the meeting, they explained the origins of the M.I., its current constitution, and the link between the M.I. and the Order of Friars Minor Conventual found in the Order’s updated regulations. In the afternoon, the visitors took part in a Mass dedicated to St. Monica at the Church of St. Joseph, near the Annunciation Friary.
Finally, on Wednesday, August 28, the International Assistant visited the recently opened convent of the Franciscan Sisters of the M.I. (SFMI) in Vietnam. While there, he met with the Superior of the congregation, Sister Luca Maria RITSUKO OKA, who had just arrived from Japan. The Franciscan Sisters of the M.I. were founded in Japan after World War II by a disciple of St. Maximilian, Friar Mieczysław MIROCHNA. They have presences in Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Poland.
We thank the brothers of the Custody of Vietnam for their generous hospitality and for making this fraternal visit possible. We hope that the M.I. will take root and develop in Vietnam, in keeping with St. Maximilian’s dream, a dream which is coming true.
Miquel BORDAS PRÓSZYNSKI, M.I. International President
