Joining hands in serving humanity
Commemorating the 36th anniversary of the Phước Thiện (Blessed Goodness) Medical Clinic.
On the morning of 1 August 2026, a five-member delegation representing the Catholic community, led by the Pastoral Committee for Interfaith Dialogue of the Saigon Archdiocese, attended the grand ceremony commemorating the Enlightenment Day of Avalokiteśvara and also the 36th anniversary of the Phước Thiện (Blessed Goodness) Medical Clinic, which provides free medical care to patients in need. The event was held at the Organ for Universalising the Great Dao Teaching, 171B Cống Quỳnh Street, Cầu Ông Lãnh Ward, HCM City.
As part of the ceremony, Sister Thanh Bình (a Caodai Priest) talked about the significance of the Enlightenment Day of Avalokiteśvara, emphasising the call to practising honest self-cultivation as a Caodai guiding principle for living the Dao. Self-cultivation, she explained, should be manifested through honesty in everyone's thoughts, speech and deeds, together with the practice of the Three Merits: Selfless Service, Self-Refinement, and Inner Self-Cultivation. Through these practices, individuals may both perfect themselves and contribute to the building of the community.
Sharing his reflections as a guest at the grand ceremony, Father F. X. Bảo Lộc, Head of the Pastoral Committee for Interfaith Dialogue, expressed his joy at being present at this important celebration of the Organ. He spoke of three dimensions of spiritual life: a liberated mind, wisdom, and dharma.
In relation to the virtues embodied by Avalokiteśvara, a liberated mind enables people to rise above unnecessary attachments and live in peace and inner freedom. A liberated wisdom is expressed through honesty in thought, speech and action. A liberated dharma, meanwhile, is an attitude of respect for the spiritual path followed by each religious tradition, so that, despite their differences, followers of different religions may join hands in serving humanity and building a better society.
Referring to the talk delivered earlier by Sister Thanh Bình, Father F. X. Bảo Lộc also emphasised the important role of women in religious life. In his view, women constitute the majority of those involved in charitable, educational and humanitarian activities in many religious communities. Their generosity and quiet dedication make a significant contribution to sustaining and nurturing the spiritual life of their communities.
Concluding his reflections, the Head of the Pastoral Committee for Interfaith Dialogue expressed the hope that all religious believers would learn to exercise the “soft power” of compassion, harmoniously combining tình (feeling and human affection) and lý (reason and principle) in their relationships with others. Recalling the words of the Virgin Mary, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2, 5), he stressed that faith becomes truly convincing only when it is manifested in daily life through concrete deeds.
This year's grand ceremony also marked the 36th anniversary of the establishment of the Phước Thiện Medical Clinic of the Organ. Over the years, the clinic has become a familiar place of free medical care and treatment for many patients facing difficult circumstances, supported by the dedicated service of medical practitioners, volunteers and benefactors from near and far.
This gathering of believers from different religious traditions, brought together through the grand ceremony, has opened further opportunities for cooperation in humanitarian work, charitable activities and community healthcare.
Từ Tâm
Translator: Huệ Khải