The Vice-Province of Extra Patriam has just completed its 26th Annual Marian Conference in honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help which took place from June 26-29, 2025, in Houston, Texas (USA).
With the theme “Mary: Queen of Peace”, the Conference coincides with Jubilee Year and happens when the world is being marked and torn by multiple wars, violence and divisions. Most of the talks were focused on the theme of hope and peace, especially on Mary as the most effective witness of hope and the messenger of peace who, as a Mother, always brings peace, love and unity to mankind.
The Conference began on Thursday evening on June 26 with the opening Mass being celebrated by the Vice-Provincial Superior, Father Dominic Long Nguyen, together with many concelebrating priests. It was followed by many talks and sessions given throughout the conference by some well known preachers: Fr. Pham Quang Hong coming from Australia, Fr. Vu The Toan, SJ, Fr. Ngo Thai Phong, Fr. Pham Huu Ai, and Fr. Dominic Nguyen, CSsR. The conference was marked with many activities, the highlights of which would be the presence and homilies of His Excellency Most Rev. Do Quang Khang, Bishop of Bac Ninh from Vietnam. Bishop Khang had several sessions for the pilgrims and also celebrated the main outdoor Marian Mass with solemn procession of the OMPH icon on Saturday evening. He highlighted the fact that while the word “peace” in English can be translated as “Hoà Bình” in Vietnamese, but there is one more word in Vietnamese that would also be translated as ‘peace’, and that is “Bình An”. Mary is indeed the Queen of peace but this peace is not the mere absence of war, violence and suffering. While Mary’s life on earth was marked with full of sorrows and sufferings, yet she remained as “Queen of Peace”. She did have a ‘tranquiled heart’, a state of the soul where God truly dwells, despite many pains, sorrows and sufferings. She is more than just “Nữ Vương Hoà Bình”, but also as one who is “Nữ Vương Ban Sự Bình An” (the one who bestows inner peace upon our souls).
The concluding Mass on Sunday was celebrated by His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop Emeritus of Galveston-Houston, TX. This last day’s Eucharist coincided with the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. The Cardinal asked the congregation to look up to these two pillars of the Church and learn a lesson of life from each. From St. Peter we learned the way how to love God: by fulfilling our responsibility, just like Peter showed his love for Jesus by taking care of His sheep; and from St. Paul the lesson of passing on the torch of faith to others. The Cardinal ended his reflection by inviting the Congregation to look up and imitate Mary who, as the temple of the Holy Spirit, has responded wholeheartedly to God’s call by fully cooperating with Him in the history of salvation for the salvation of souls. He also expressed his deep admiration for the Vietnamese catholics for having a very high devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Mass ended with some words of gratitude delivered by Fr. Thomas Dung Ha, CSsR, Chair of the Organizing Committee. He invited the pilgrims to mark the calendar for next year’s Conference which will be from June 26-28, 2026.
Dominic, CSsR.
