How to return to the Church when there are no parishes

[MooEdD]

Hello,

I am a US citizen living in Hanoi, Vietnam. I was a Roman Catholic and then converted to the Eastern Orthodox church in 2016. I am now thinking about returning to the Catholic Church, but there are no traditional parishes near me. SSPX is in the Philippines, but it is not possible to just fly there due to COVID-19. The same is for other nearby countries.

Do you have any recommendations?

Thank you in advance for your help.

[ChairmanJoeAintMyPrez]

Do you have any recommendations?

I don't read Vietnamese, so I can't help you, but what has worked for me in the past is to select the parish with the most confession times.  The parish with the most confession times is the parish where the priest is most likely to believe in the sacraments and the necessity of repentance.

It doesn't work 100% of the time, but you're much more likely to find actual Catholicism in the parish with the most confession times.  Parishes with confession only once a month or "by appointment only" are much more likely to be functionally atheistic social justice clubs.

[MaximGun]

Next time don't miss the last helicopter outta there, that is my recommendation.

Seriously I would get used to watching live Trad masses on line.  I cannot see Hanoi getting a Trad mass any time soon.

[mikemac]

Hello,

I am a US citizen living in Hanoi, Vietnam. I was a Roman Catholic and then converted to the Eastern Orthodox church in 2016. I am now thinking about returning to the Catholic Church, but there are no traditional parishes near me. SSPX is in the Philippines, but it is not possible to just fly there due to COVID-19. The same is for other nearby countries.

Do you have any recommendations?

Thank you in advance for your help.

This July 19, 2013 article at The Eponymous Flower seems to imply that St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi offers a Latin Mass.  Quoting the article, "The liturgy is celebrated in Latin ...".  "In Vietnam, 9-10 percent of the population are Catholics."  That's 9-10 percent of 96.46 million people, so there should be a Latin Mass there.

Latin Mass in Hanoi: Travel Impressions of a Healthy Church

http://www.theeponymousflower.com/2013/07/latin-mass-in-hanoi-travel-impressions.html


Also;

They Watch Over It Still
"In 2019, Fr. Laurent Demets, FSSP, arrived in Vietnam."  Although he's in Saigon.

https://fssp.com/they-watch-over-it-still/


I hope this helps.

[GiftOfGod]

I am a US citizen living in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Why?

[MooEdD]

Hello,

I am a US citizen living in Hanoi, Vietnam. I was a Roman Catholic and then converted to the Eastern Orthodox church in 2016. I am now thinking about returning to the Catholic Church, but there are no traditional parishes near me. SSPX is in the Philippines, but it is not possible to just fly there due to COVID-19. The same is for other nearby countries.

Do you have any recommendations?

Thank you in advance for your help.

This July 19, 2013 article at The Eponymous Flower seems to imply that St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi offers a Latin Mass.  Quoting the article, "The liturgy is celebrated in Latin ...".  "In Vietnam, 9-10 percent of the population are Catholics."  That's 9-10 percent of 96.46 million people, so there should be a Latin Mass there.

Latin Mass in Hanoi: Travel Impressions of a Healthy Church

http://www.theeponymousflower.com/2013/07/latin-mass-in-hanoi-travel-impressions.html


Also;

They Watch Over It Still
"In 2019, Fr. Laurent Demets, FSSP, arrived in Vietnam."  Although he's in Saigon.

https://fssp.com/they-watch-over-it-still/


I hope this helps.

Thank you. The TLM is no longer offered in Hanoi.

[MooEdD]

I am a US citizen living in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Why?

My job (I am the head of two international schools here).

[Jayne]

While not ideal, various traditional groups make Masses available online.  You could watch these Masses and become accustomed to the traditional Mass this way.  You could also contact priests who could advise you about reading material and what process you require to return to the Church. 

Eventually you will need to go to Confession and this will require being "in person" but perhaps travel will have opened up by then.  I think there will be some preparation that you can do remotely, so you can start getting ready now.

Are you only interested in SSPX or would other traditional groups satisfy you?

[mikemac]

The daily Rosary would also be a good preparation until you find your solution.

[MooEdD]

While not ideal, various traditional groups make Masses available online.  You could watch these Masses and become accustomed to the traditional Mass this way.  You could also contact priests who could advise you about reading material and what process you require to return to the Church. 

Eventually you will need to go to Confession and this will require being "in person" but perhaps travel will have opened up by then.  I think there will be some preparation that you can do remotely, so you can start getting ready now.

Are you only interested in SSPX or would other traditional groups satisfy you?

To be honest, I don't really know. Things have changed in the five years I have been away. I have reached out to SSPX Asia, but I have not received a response. But, I heard something happened with them and several priests left. I need to learn about that.

I also wonder if Pope Francis is the pope. Although I am an academic, I prefer to just be obedient when it comes to my faith. But, this conflicts with my personal questions about the Pope: I could go to the local NO priest (he speaks English), but the confusion about my place in the NO church is what drove me away in the first place.

Do you have any recommendations? Do most of the people in this forum take an SSPX stance? Attend the diocesn TLM (although I heard this has been barred...is this true?)? Sedevacantists? Prior to my conversion and move to Vietnam, I went to Mass at St. Athanasius independent parish. So I am ok with independent parishes as long as they are led by validly ordained priests.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[MooEdD]

The daily Rosary would also be a good preparation until you find your solution.

Thank you. I will begin doing this today.

[Michael Wilson]

MooEd,
right now it sounds like you should be praying your Rosary and reading up on your faith, with good solid traditional Catholic books. such as the Baltimore Catechism; the Catechism of the Council of Trent etc. I wouldn't recommend assisting at the N.O. 1. It isn't Catholic 2. It isn't even a Mass. The SSPX has valid priests and sacraments; you can find a list of their chapels in Asia Here:
https://fsspx.asia/en/community/priories
Along with their email addresses, so that you can contact them.

[Jayne]

I also wonder if Pope Francis is the pope. Although I am an academic, I prefer to just be obedient when it comes to my faith. But, this conflicts with my personal questions about the Pope: I could go to the local NO priest (he speaks English), but the confusion about my place in the NO church is what drove me away in the first place.

Do you have any recommendations? Do most of the people in this forum take an SSPX stance? Attend the diocesn TLM (although I heard this has been barred...is this true?)? Sedevacantists? Prior to my conversion and move to Vietnam, I went to Mass at St. Athanasius independent parish. So I am ok with independent parishes as long as they are led by validly ordained priests.

I do not consider myself as having the authority to decide that Francis is not the pope.  I can understand why people question it, but I work on the assumption that he is.

Many people on this forum attend SSPX centres.  I am not sure if they are the majority.  Personally, I attend them, as well as diocesan TLM.  (These have not been banned throughout the Church, but bishops who want to can easily suppress them.)  There are some sedevacantists on this forum too.

Since you mention that you are American, I suggest that you consider contacting American traditional priests if your attempts to contact traditional priests in Asia do not work out.  Although they are not geographically close, they could nevertheless answer questions and make recommendations.

[Jayne]

MooEd,
right now it sounds like you should be praying your Rosary and reading up on your faith, with good solid traditional Catholic books. such as the Baltimore Catechism; the Catechism of the Council of Trent etc.

In addition to good traditional catechisms such as those mentioned by Michael, you may find this helpful:  https://fsspx.uk/sites/sspx/files/an_open_letter_to_confused_cath_-_archbishop_marcel_lefebvre.pd_.pdf  When I was new to tradition, it helped me to understand the current situation in the Church.

(Feel free to PM me if you have further questions for me personally.  I will be taking a break from reading the forum, so I am not likely to see further posts by you.)

[MooEdD]

Since you mention that you are American, I suggest that you consider contacting American traditional priests if your attempts to contact traditional priests in Asia do not work out.  Although they are not geographically close, they could nevertheless answer questions and make recommendations.

Thank you, I will contact traditional priests in the US.