The Diocese of Can Tho opened two supermarkets at the start of the month where the poor affected by the coronavirus pan-demic can get basic necessities for free. One is in Sông Ñc pari-sh, the other in Cái Tac parish.
Vietnam is one of the coun-tries that seems to have better managed the COVID-19 crisis. So far it has reported just over 1,500 cases, with 1,360 hospitalisations and 35 deaths. Despite this, many Vietnamese are facing hardships.
Volunteers run the two supermarkets, also known as “solidarity shops,” the most popular form of charity in Vietnam. The Diocese helps families in difficulty, orphans and people with disabilities.
The beneficiaries have a booklet where the products they receive each month are registered, mostly salt, sugar, rice, fish soup and cooking oil. In Cái Tac more than a hundred families get supplies from one supermarket; each booklet gives the right to get 100,000 dong (US$ 4.3) worth in goods per month.
Bishop Stêphanô Tri Bíu Thiên of Can Tho said that many Catholics face serious economic conditions, and this required some action. “After talking with local priests, we decided to help those who need it most,” the prelate explained, based on Pope Francis’s teachings about the “culture of care as a path to peace.”
–AsiaNews