In the last decade of Sacred Heart's first century, a new branch has been added to the family tree. Sacred Heart has welcomed and provided houses for Vietnamese families, thus helping a new community to take root among us.
The establishment of this little community within the large community of Sacred Heart began in June of 1975. A call from Catholic Social Services came to the rectory: a Vietnamese family was newly located in the Canterbury Apartments, could someone look in on them? That is how it began.
The Vietnamese people have enriched the parish in many ways. Many of them attend Mass daily in the rectory chapel, often raising their voices in beautiful song and on special occasions, singing Vietnamese hymns. They have brought us the Vietnamese New Year celebration of TET, when we have firecrackers "to shatter the sadness" of the old year, and purify the new.
Many of the families here have relatives and all have friends still in Vietnam. They often send pictures and videos of their families' participation here at Sacred Heart "back home."
For many years now, at our 8:30 Sunday Mass, the second reading is read in Vietnamese. Many of the Vietnamese community attend this Mass.
On June 20, 2002, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Woodlynne, NJ was made the regional Vietnamese Church in the Camden Diocese. The pastor is Rev. Joseph An Nguyen. Many of our original Vietnamese community remain faithful to Sacred Heart Church as well.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |