Vietnamese New Year at the "Universal Church"

February 1, 2004

Source: The Central City Appeal

http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/centralcity_appeal/article/0,1426,MCA_15698_2611627,00.htm

On February 1, 2004 The Central City Appeal reported on celebrations for the Vietnamese New Year at Sacred Heart Church in Memphis Tenn. "Sacred Heart is the church home of Memphis Catholics from around the world: Vietnam, Portugal, India, Canada, Mexico, Central America, England, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Sudan. The first reading is in Spanish, the second in English, and the gospel in Vietnamese. The various feasts of the different cultures that make up Sacred Heart are an excuse for everyone to celebrate. The Vietnamese in the parish have been planning the Tet celebration for weeks. The women have been cooking since 5 a.m. The church is decorated, there is special music, people are wearing traditional Vietnamese clothes, and there will be a party afterward with Vietnamese food."