Vietnam Postulants Turn Synodal Listening into 100 Free Meals for People in Need

Postulants of the Lovers of the Holy Cross of Phan Thiet prepared and distributed 100 free meals to people experiencing hardship after a process of Conversation in the Spirit helped them turn prayer and communal discernment into concrete missionary action.

The initiative at Sao Biển Community in Phan Thiet, a coastal city in southern Vietnam, emerged from a reflection on the theme “Put Out into the Deep: Discernment and Governance in a Synodal Church,” led by Sr. Theresa Chi, a member of the congregation.

Sr. Theresa, who represented Vietnam alongside Bishop Joseph of Hung of Phan Thiet, at a three-day meeting of national synodal teams in Bangkok, Thailand, from September 2 to 4, said the experience helped the postulants understand how listening and discernment can lead to practical service.

The activity was organized in connection with World Mission Sunday on October 18, as the congregation sought to integrate Conversation in the Spirit into its journey toward becoming a more synodal Church.

The postulants gathered around a table, listened to one another and shared their reflections. Reflecting on Jesus’ invitation, “Put out into the deep” (Luke 5:4), Sr. Theresa encouraged the postulants to consider how they could move beyond their comfort zones to bring Christ’s love to people in need.

She also emphasized that governance in a synodal Church is not primarily about exercising authority but about serving others through listening, humility, and discernment.

During the discussion, the postulants proposed preparing 100 free lunches for people facing hardship in the city. They also prayed for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, concluding their Conversation in the Spirit with a Eucharistic adoration in the chapel. 

The community put the postulants' idea into practice by preparing, packing, and distributing the meals.

The postulants formed 10 groups, with two sisters in each group. Following Jesus’ practice of sending his disciples out two by two, each pair went out with 10 meals to share with people in need.

For Sr. Theresa, the encounters that followed revealed how the exercise had helped the young women translate their reflections into missionary service.

One encounter particularly moved her. A postulant named Mary approached a woman who was not Christian and offered her a meal. The woman initially hesitated, apparently unsure of the young sister’s intentions.

Mary gently told her, “I will pray for you.”

The woman gradually became more comfortable, began talking with Mary, and eventually accepted the meal with gratitude.

Sr. Theresa said she was happy to see the postulant begin experiencing the congregation’s missionary vocation through this encounter. She added that the community specifically prays for non-Christians and unbelievers during its morning and evening prayers.

In their reflections afterward, the postulants acknowledged that approaching people who did not share their faith could sometimes feel more challenging than approaching fellow Christians.

The encounter helped them recognize that mission does not begin with persuading others to embrace a particular belief, but with love, respect, kindness, and a willingness to meet people where they are.

The stories shared by the postulants also helped the community reflect on the joys and challenges of serving people on the margins of society.

For Sr. Theresa, the experience demonstrated the practical value of Conversation in the Spirit: listening leads to discernment, discernment leads to action, and action becomes mission.

The initiative offered the postulants a concrete experience of synodality as a way of life in the Church, connecting prayer, communal decision-making, and service to those most in need.

“A synodal Church is a missionary Church, a Church that listens, walks together, and goes forth to serve,” Sr. Theresa reflected.