In the first days of 2013, local governments approved Hoà Hảo Church to celebrate the founder- Huỳnh Phú Sổ’s birthday on Jan 6th 2013 ( 25th of the 11th lunar month) in An Hòa Tự, Phú Mỹ town, Phú Tân district, An Giang province.
Many people attended this anniversary. The representative of Government agencies are Mr Bùi Ngọc Sương - Deputy Head of Southern West Steering Board, Mr Đặng Trung Thành - Deputy Director of Catholic Department and representatives of the Central Mass Mobilization Commission, the 9th Military Zone, Department of Security and Society, Southern West Department of Security of Ministry of Public Security. The representatives of An Giang province were Mr Vo Anh Kiet - Vice Chairman of Provincial People Committee, Mr Nguyen Thanh Luom - Head of Provincial mass Mobilization Commission, Mr Huỳnh Công Mướt- Chairman of Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front, Nguyễn Phát Huy - Deputy Director of Department of Interior Affairs and Head of Provincial Committee for Religious Affairs and leaders of offices in An Giang province. The representatives of Hoà Hảo Buddhism were members of Central management Council and representatives of serving board of Hoà Hảo Buddhism.
The 93rd birthday anniversary of Hoà Hảo founder took place in jubilant atmosphere. In that time, many important activities of Hoà Hảo Central Management Council were deployed. In opening speech, Mr Bùi Văn Đương - Deputy Chairman of Hoà Hảo Central Management Council confirmed: “The 93rd anniversary of Hoà Hảo founder’s birthday is an occasion for us to look back what Hoà Hảo believers have done, especially complying with four gratitude’s, all the things that we fulfilled very well. We should apply suitable measures to real situations to further promote the spirit of “love each other as children of the same Father and help each other on moral way”. We try our best to bring frame to our religion and our founder by implementing problems put forward in the 3rd Congress of Hoà Hảo Buddhism’s representatives.
In opening speech, on behalf of Provincial Committee of Party, Council of People, Committee of People and Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front of An Giang province, Mr Huỳnh Công Mướt showed his respect and warmly praised solidarity of Hoà Hảo followers in building the homeland and the country in last years. He also called believers of Hoà Hảo Buddhism to respond the patriotic emulation movements that were put forward by Party, State, Front and Hoà Hảo Central Management Council.
At the end of the anniversary, all of Hoà Hảo followers and organizing Board prayed for national safety. Believers promised the founder that they should obey orientation “ to study Buddhism to improve themselves, to worship Buddha at home as lay – followers” as “ for Dharma, for Nation”.
In the afternoon of 5th January, 2012, Mr Phạm Văn Thuận, a main specialist of Government Committee for Religious Affairs visited Hoà Hảo Temple and presented a flower basket for congratulating the anniversary.
Tue Minh
