1. THE CONGREGATION OF LOVERS OF THE HOLY CROSS IN THE DIOCESE OF THE APOSTOLIC SEE OF THE SOUTH (1671-1844)                     

The period of establishment and consolidation

– The forerunner of the Holy Cross Congregation is now the Congregation of the QuiNhon Missionary Sisters of the Cross in the South founded by Bishop Pierre Lambert de La Motte who was the First Apostolic Vicariate Bishop to the Diocese of the South to evangelize for non-Catholics and to guide the faithful towards a perfect life.

– At the end of 1671, Bishop Lambert de La Motte established the first Convent of the Holy Cross in Southern An Chi – Quang Ngai. At the beginning there were only 8 sisters, one of the leading sisters was the sister of Father Joseph Trang, 30 years old.

– In 1675, the Bishop accepted the vows of the first 5 sisters at Bau Tay and An Chi. These were the first sisters of the Southern Diocese.

– From 1671-1679, more Convents were established following: Diem Dien Convent (Binh Dinh) in 1674; Bau Tay Convent (Quang Ngai) before 1675; Phu Dien Convent (Phu Yen) in 1675; Bau Nghe Convent (Quang Nam) in 1676;  Lam Tuyen Convent (Nha Trang) in 1676; and Hoi An Convent in 1679.

– In the early 18th century, the Congregation of Lovers of the Holy Cross in the South was ceased due to the government’s policy of banning religion, there were many difficulties from mandarins and pagans. The Convent’s houses were no longer allowed, the nuns had no one to guide them, and were scattered everywhere.

– In the second half of the 18th century, the Congregation of Lovers of the Holy Cross in the South recovered quickly and grew strongly. The Congregation was rebuilt and renewed under Bishop Guillaume Piguel (1764-1771), Bishop Pierre Pigneau de Béhaine (1771-1799), Bishop Jean Labartette (1799-1823), and Bishop Étienne Théodore Cuenot (1840- 1861).

– In 1830, Bishop Jean Louis Taberd took two sisters of the Congregation from Binh Dinh in the South, who were Sr. Kiem and Sr. Ta to establish the Convent of Lovers of the Holy Cross in Tan Trieu (Bien Hoa). Afterward, he took Sr. Mi and Sr. Sang, also from Binh Dinh, to establish another Convent in Lai Thieu.

2. THE CONGREGATION OF LOVERS OF THE HOLY CROSS IN DIOCESE OF THE APOSTOLIC SEE IN THE SOUTH (1844-1924)

The period of hardship and development

The growth of the Holy Cross Congregation in the South is always related with the growth of the Dioceses. In 1844, the Southern Diocese was divided into East- South and West-South. In 1850, the North Diocese was established from East Territory. The Convents which were located on the land of the East territory formed the present Congregation of QuiNhon Missionary Sisters of the Holy Cross.

– In 1850, the East Diocese had 6 Convents about 120 sisters; The West Diocese had 6 Convents with 160 sisters; and the North Diocese had 8 Convents with about 300 sisters.

– During the government of Tu Duc’s persecution in the East of Vietnam, about 100 nuns, who followed Christ, were persecuted, among them there was Sr. Agnes Soan from  Diem Dien, Binh Dinh, and Sr. Ann Tri from Dinh Thuy, Phan Rang. Both sisters Agnes Soan and Anna Tri were garotted at Phan Ri in 1862. On November 13, 1818, the Holy See promulgated the Decree establishing the record of beatification, announcing 20 martyrs of the Apostolic Diocese of the South as Servants of God. The Congregation of the Holy Cross is honored to have two Servants of God, who were Sr. Agnes Soan and Sr. Ann Tri.

– During the persecution of the Van Than movement in 1885, 270 nuns died for their faith in the East of Vietnam, and many people were scattered, killed by Van Than, or died of starvation and disease while they were hiding in forest from poisoned water.

– Under the time of Bishop Damien Grangeon Man [1902-1930] evangelization was promoted throughout the Diocese. In 1905, the bishop printed “The regulation of the Convents in Binh Dinh Diocese” to unify the formation and administration of the Holy Cross Sisters in the Diocese.

– In 1919, the entire East Diocese of the South had 11  Convents: Phu Thuong, Tra Kieu, Cu Va, Gia Huu, Dai An, Go Thi, Song Lang, Mang Lang, Binh Cang, Dinh Thuy and Kon Tum with about 300 sisters.

Thus, the first Convent from An Chi to the establishment, consolidation, growth and existence of 11 Convents with nearly 300 sisters of the East Diocese in the South in 1919, is a long process of hardship with the grace and love of Christ Crucified. Each Convent has the inheritance and transition as a bridge between the Convent of Lovers of the Holy Cross and its reformed to currently Congregation of QuiNhon Missionary Sisters of the Holy Cross.

3. CONGREGATION OF QUINHON MISSIONARY SISTERS OF THE HOLY CROSS (1924-2021)

The period of reformed and adaptation

3.1. 1924 – 1975

In the context of the QuiNhon Diocese which was being rebuilt and gradually expanding missionaries in the fields that, in 1920, Bishop Damien Grangeon Man decided to reform the Convents of the Holy Cross Sisters in the Diocese to become a Congregation in accordance with the new circumstances and needs, according to the Canon Law 1917. The Bishop commissioned Father Jean Baptiste Solvignon (Father Lanh), who was the Pastor of Go Thi, to administer the reform of this Convent.

– In 1922, Father Lanh started to build a Mother House on the land of the Go Thi Convent. In March 1924, the construction of the Mother House was completed and blessed on May 21, 1924. Along with the building construction, Fr Solvignon also wrote the regulations, preparing for the first formation program.

– In 1924, the first postulants were formed at the novitiate house and were helped to be trained by the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, Sr. Marie de Lorette (France), Sr. Gabrielle (Vietnamese), and Sr. Ernestine (Vietnamese).

– On December 3, 1924, the Southeast Diocese was renamed the QuiNhon Diocese. Since then, the Congregation has been renamed the Congregation of QuiNhon Missionary Sisters of the Holy Cross.

– On March 2, 1929, a new Congregation granted the endorsement of the “a Request of the Establishment of the QuiNhon Missionary Sisters of the Cross” by Bishop Grangeon Man. This was not a new Congregation, but the same Order of the Lovers of the Holy Cross, with the sisters taking their vows according to Canon Law.

– On August 22, 1929, fourteen novices took the vows and their first profession was celebrated at the Chapel of Mother House in Go Thi.

– On September 14, 1932, Bishop Augustin Tardieu Phu officially issued the “establishment of the Congregation of QuiNhon Missionary of the Holy Cross”.

– On November 1, 1933, the Mother House of the Congregation was collapsed by a big storm, 10 sisters died and the other 10 sisters were seriously injured, but they recovered later. Father Solvignon and his parochial vicar, Father Paul Ban, helped the Congregation in this disaster.

– On March 23, 1935, Fr Solvignon (Father Lanh) who was the first Superior of the Congregation passed away and was buried in the cemetery of Go Thi Convent (Binh Dinh).

On August 22, 1935, 11 sisters took their vows. The celebration of first profession was presided by Bishop Augustin Tardieu Phu at the Chapel of Mother House’s Convent in Go Thi.

– On May 18, 1940, Sr. Marie de Lorette, who was Mother Superior and a Novitiate Director of the Congregation passed away (1935-1940. The Congregation started to form the Council of the Congregation, the first Vietnamese Mother Superior was Sr.  Maria Mélanie Nguyen Thi Dong and the Executive Advisory Committee of the Congregation.

– In 1958, Bishop Peter Maria Pham Ngoc Chi merged 6 Convents of the Lovers of the Holy Cross: Phu Thuong and Tra Kieu in Quang Nam, Cu Va in Quang Ngai, Gia Huu and Song Lang in Binh Dinh, Mang Lang in Phu Yen into a Congregation under the authority of a General Superior of Congregration of QuiNhon Missionary Sisters of the Holy Cross. From that there is only one Holy Cross Congregation in the Diocese.

– In 1958, the Congregation developed a new direction in the entire Diocese: school ministry and social work, Bishop Peter Maria Pham Ngoc Chi built a new building for the Congregation to make a Training Center which is Trinh Vuong Qui Nhon located at 494 Gia Long, Qui Nhon, Binh Dinh Province.

– In 1965, because of the war, the Mother House of Go Thi was evacuated to Trinh Vuong Qui Nhon Center. In 1966, with the permission of Bishop Daminh Hoang Van Doan, the Mother House of the Congregation was officially located at Trinh Vuong Qui Nhon Center, Binh Dinh Province. It is now at 130 Tran Hung Dao, Qui Nhon City.

3.2. Period 1975 – 2021

After 1975, the Congregation had to transfer schools and social – charity buildings to the government’s  management. The Trinh Vuong Center also had to transfer the front building of the Mother House to the government, only a part of the building (the left wing and the rear area) belong to the Congregation. The Mother House’ address is 132 Tran Hung Dao, Qui Nhon City (Trinh Vuong Bookstore). The sisters of the entire Congregation changed to cultivate in the fields, raising home-bred animals; making bamboo blinds, production of stationery, baking cakes and handicrafts such as: basket weaving, mat weaving, fabric weaving, embroidering …etc

– Since 1995, the Communities of Congregation have returned to the work in education, establishing Childcare Centers and Kindergartens; taking care of the Orphans; responsible for Catechetical Program and parish ministries.

– Together with the other Congregations of Lovers of the Holy Cross in Vietnam, we realize a return to the roots and renewal of the regulations according to the canon law 1983, from 1997 to 2011, the Congregation experimented the common Constitution the Congregations of the Lovers of the Holy Cross compiled by the Research Board of the spirituality of the Lovers of the Cross. During the trial period, the Congregation of QuiNhon Missionary Sisters of the Holy Cross amended its own Constitution.

– On August 8, 2011, Bishop Peter Nguyen Soan, Bishop of QuiNhon Diocese, approved the Constitution of the Congregation of QuiNhon Missionary Sisters of the Holy Cross and on August 22, 2011, Sr. Anna Maryline Pham Thi Bich Huong, General Superior promulgated the Constitution and awarded to each member of the Congregation as a precious gift that God has given.

– On September 14, 2011, the St. Theresa Convent was established as a formation house for the sisters who are in a period of temporary vows in the Congregation.

– On November 25, 2011, the Province in United States was established with the title: QuiNhon Missionary Sisters of the Holy Cross-U.S Province. The Provincial House is located at 1685 Humphrey Dr. Concord, CA 94519, Diocese of Oakland, USA.

– On March 2, 2014, the Congregation celebrated the thanksgiving Mass of 85 years of receiving the decree to establish a Congregation and establish the Association of Lovers of the Holy Cross in QuiNhon.

– August 6, 2019-August 6, 2020, together with the Congregations of the Lovers of the Holy Cross, they celebrated the Jubilee of 350th anniversary of Lovers of the Holy Cross in Vietnam.

– On December 8, 2020, the Congregation joyfully opened the Jubilee of 350th Anniversary of QuiNhon Missionary Sisters of the Holy Cross in Dang Trong – Qui Nhon. The Jubilee Year will be ended on December 8, 2021. This is a meaningful time for the Congregation to look back on its history; It is an opportunity to give thanks and gratitude to God, to the ancestors, relatives, and benefactors, to begin a new journey of service and evangelization according to the charism of the Lovers of the Holy Cross.

From 1940-2020, the Congregation had 21 Chapters with 9 Superiors. The Congregation’s sisters currently serve in 16 Dioceses in Vietnam and overseas, including 76 Communities and 510 Sisters, 31 Novices, 33 Pre-novices and 210 Postulants.