Conventual Franciscans Vietnam Mission Ministering to the Lepers

Today in Vietnam our friars continue the ministry of our founder at the Van Mon Leprosy Village. Van Mon is a hospital for the treatment of leprosy and a village where over 350 people with leprosy live. Many of the residents of Van Mon contracted Leprosy when they were children and were taken to Van Mon where they have spent their entire life with no contact from their families. They live a very isolated life and rarely have contact with the outside world.

There was not a cure for leprosy until the 1980's but the fear of the disease still exists. Even after being cured of leprosy, they are not able to return to their communities. The older residents who suffered from leprosy for many years before a cure was discovered are severely disabled from the disease. An elderly resident once said, "not only were we given leprosy but we were given a long life to suffer with it."

Every year several of our student friars and candidates spend the summer working in the hospital and with the people in the village, teaching the children, working in the gardens, celebrating Morning Prayer and Mass with the residents and helping with their daily lives. This summer five student friars and one candidate ministered to the lepers at Van Mon. Fr. Tuan Nguyen, Fr. James Phan, and Br. Jerry Payne joined them for their final week of ministry.

To learn more about the Conventual Franciscans' mission in Vietnam, please view our excellent video.

(The author of this article and source of the included photos is Brother Jerry Payne, OFM Conv.)