Nhà thờ Chính Trạch

After the Geneva Accords, about one million people from northern Vietnam, north of the 17th parallel, migrated south. Most were Catholics from the dioceses of northern Vietnam; among them were also some people from the coastal area of Quảng Trạch district, Quảng Bình province, who came to Đà Nẵng. Some settled on the land now called Chính Trạch.

The land where Chính Trạch parish now lives was purchased by Fr Jeanningros (Cố Vị) from the town of Đà Nẵng on 15 January 1954. It comprised three plots numbered 535, 538 and 540 (on the plot map of the town of Đà Nẵng), with a total area of 6,705 m². The land was purchased before the migration movement began. The site is bounded by Hoàng Hoa Thám street, Lê Duẩn street, and a drainage ditch forming the base of a triangle.

The site of Chính Trạch parish today was a desolate sandy area in 1954. To provide temporary shelter for the migrants, people set up camps of rows of connected wooden houses roofed with corrugated metal. Migrants whose families had four or more members received one house, while two smaller families shared one house.

With the guidance of priests, Catholics lived together in groups of families. At Chính Trạch, most were originally from Quảng Bình. At first, the area was intended only as a temporary settlement, not a permanent one, but it later became a permanent settlement amid disputes with both the civil and ecclesiastical authorities. It was not until 1958 that the ecclesiastical authorities officially recognized it as a parish, under the title Queen of the Universe.

Priests who have served the parish

1. Fr Giuse Ngô Đình Phú (1954 – 23/05/1973) — founder of the parish

2. Fr Gioan Baotixita Nguyễn Duy Lượng (23/05/1973 – 10/06/1998) — born on 10/12/1937, ordained a priest on 31/05/1966

3. Fr Emmanuel Nguyễn Tấn Lục (10/06/1998 – 21/08/2003) — born in 1953, ordained a priest on 22/07/1997

4. Fr Đôminicô Trần Công Danh (21/08/2003 – 2010)

5. Fr Đôminicô Đặng Bá Linh (25/09/2010 – 05/10/2015)

6. Fr Antôn Trương Gia Ninh (05/10/2015 – 20/10/2022)

7. Fr Gabriel Nguyễn Ngọc Tuấn (20/10/2022 – present)

Priest Giuse Ngô Đình Phú

Fr Giuse Ngô Đình Phú was originally from Song Ngọc, Nghệ An, in the Diocese of Vinh; he was born in 1906 and ordained a priest in 1937. He led Chính Trạch parish from 1954 until 23 May 1973. After 36 years of devoted service as the parish's shepherd, he was granted permission by his diocesan superior to retire at his home in Thanh Đức because of his advanced age and declining health. The Lord called him home on 22 July 1984. On 20 June 1992, his remains were transferred to his hometown of Song Ngọc, where they await the day God rewards him.

Besides the church, rectory and school, Fr Giuse also built a row of buildings divided into three rooms and a small two-storey house, intending to invite religious sisters to help the parish, but this did not come to pass; the house is now used by two parishioner families. Behind the church are several houses that Fr Giuse set aside for some families to live in temporarily, intending to reclaim them when the opportunity arose to extend the church towards the rear, but this did not come to pass. Over time, these houses deteriorated, so the families using them requested that they be repaired as they stood.

Parish life

• Population and economy: Chính Trạch parish now has more than 371 families, with a total of around 1,400 parishioners, most of whom live in Tân Chính ward, while some live scattered across neighbouring wards. Most parishioners earn their living through general labour and small-scale trade, so their overall economic circumstances are average.

• Culture and education: As economic life has improved somewhat and become more stable in recent years, the educational prospects of the parish's children have also improved. Most attend schools in the city at the appropriate age. Some are studying at universities across the country; some are pursuing postgraduate or master's degrees; and some are teaching at public schools as well as supplementary education classes. During the time Fr Gioan Baotixita served the parish, he also secured some scholarships to support poor children, both Catholic and non-Catholic, and encouraged young people to advance their education. During Fr Emmanuel's time leading the parish, to encourage children with excellent academic results and good conduct, the parish priest, the representative committee and some benefactors presented them with awards each year at the end of the school year. In addition, at the start of the school year and every month, the priest provided assistance to some children in difficult circumstances so they could attend school.

• Society and charity: In general, relations between the pastors and local government leaders are very good. The parishioners also actively participate in local activities, in keeping with the spirit of the 1980 Joint Letter. Every year on major feasts such as Christmas, Easter and Tết (Lunar New Year), the parish community shares some material goods with poor families in the local area near the parish, regardless of religion. In particular, Fr Emmanuel also provided materials to five families to repair their homes, in the spirit of eliminating temporary housing and improving auxiliary structures.

A garden of vocations

Over the past 50 years, the parish has seen many fruits in its garden of vocations. These outstanding sons and daughters of the parish still have family living on the land of Chính Trạch:

• Priest Phêrô Nguyễn Hùng, parish priest of Nội Hà

• Religious brother Camillo Nguyễn Quang Thành, Cistercian order

• Religious brother Phêrô Hoàng Xuân Lộc, Franciscan order

• Religious sister Nguyễn Thị Lành, Daughters of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Sài Gòn)

• Religious sister Marie Nguyễn Thị Kim Phượng, Sisters of St Paul (United States)

• Religious sister Anna Địch Dương Thu Thảo, Daughters of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

Many others were born and raised on this land but had to leave the parish because of their circumstances, such as:

• Priest Phêrô Hoàng Gia Thành, parish priest of Thanh Đức

• Priest Gioan Baotixita Nguyễn Thanh Bích, Redemptorist Congregation

• Priest Hồ Viết Xuân and Priest Matthêu Nguyễn Khắc Hy (United States)

• Priest Gabriel Nguyễn Ngọc Tuấn