Binh Phuoc Catholic Church in Ho Chi Minh City, located in the middle of a busy residential district, was built on the site of a former ash dump belonging to the Binh Tay distillery. Its history now spans 70 years.
Nguyen Thanh Binh, a 68-year-old parishioner who has lived here since childhood, told journalists from the local newspaper Thanh Nien that believers once had to walk to church across swampy, deserted terrain. Learning of this, the pastor of that church resolved to find land for the construction of a new chapel.
A suitable plot was found nearby: a marshy area of about 6,700 square meters that had been used as a dump for ash from the Binh Tay distillery. The parish's jubilee publication notes that digging just half a meter into the ground would cause black water to seep out from beneath a layer of gray ash.
Construction began in May 1956. The building was designed to serve two purposes: during services it was a church, and the rest of the time a school for children, with partitions installed inside for that purpose. By Christmas 1957, the church, combined with the Binh Phuoc primary school, was solemnly opened. Bishop Simon Hoa Nguyen Van Hien personally consecrated the church and two bells cast in Da Nang, and himself struck them first.
Gradually, the ringing of the bells became a familiar signal, reminding people of the time for prayer. But in our parish, if something important happened or if someone's household faced difficulties requiring help, the bell was also rung so that the whole community would gather to assist.
— Nguyen Thanh Binh, parishioner
Originally the chapel was designed for 300 worshippers, and today, according to the parish registers, Binh Phuoc Church unites nearly 2,000 people. The first building, of less than 150 square meters, gradually fell into disrepair, and in 1970 permission was obtained to rebuild it. That same year, in 1973, the church, previously known as "Binh Tay" after the distillery, was renamed "Binh Phuoc." As Mr. Binh explained, the priest wanted the name not to be confused with a brand of liquor, and for it to reflect a wish for peace and prosperity on this land.
Raising money for the reconstruction was difficult. Parishioners worked during the day and came to the construction site at night to mix mortar, clear debris and help the workers, saving on their wages. This tradition of mutual assistance survives today. Each month, priests visit some 40 seriously ill and elderly people who cannot come to the church themselves, to administer the sacraments to them at home.
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