Youths carry various gifts during the Lunar New Year Mass Feb. 15 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
DAVENPORT — Electronic firecrackers went off to start the Lunar New Year celebration of the Year of the Fire Horse at Sacred Heart Cathedral Feb. 15. The Vietnamese Catholic community gathered for the Lunar New Year Mass, presided over by Bishop Dennis Walsh. Father Jason Crossen, pastor of the cathedral; Father Simon Thoi Hoang, SVD, and Father Duc Le, SVD, both from Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa; concelebrated.
Lunar New Year, also known as “Tet Nguyen Dan” (“Tet” for short) in Vietnamese, “is the most important and popular festival for the Vietnamese people during the year,” said Trein Martin Ngo of the Vietnamese Catholic community.
“Not only is Tet a celebration of the arrival of spring and an occasion to pay respects to one’s ancestors, it is also a great opportunity for family to come together. Family members will return to their homeland for a reunion and to savor the flavors of the holiday,” Ngo said.
Most Eastern Asian countries observe some sort of Lunar New Year celebration, but Vietnam, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and Tibet have official celebrations.
Bishop Dennis Walsh uses incense around the altar during the Lunar New Year Mass Feb. 15 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport.
This year’s sign is the fire horse. “Although the horse comes around every 12 years, the fire horse is once every 60 years,” he noted. “This combines the horse’s drive with fire’s brilliance. People born in the year of the horse are believed to be adventurous, independent and socially adept in nature with the fire element’s qualities of passion, brilliance and rapid expansion. It signals a period marked by decisive action, creative breakthroughs, and significant social progress, inviting us to approach our ambitions with courage and clarity.”
“For the Vietnamese, honoring the coming of the New Year looks ahead toward good fortunes while centering on happiness and positive values. Numerous celebrations aim to strengthen Vietnamese culture, beliefs and family ties. Tet is not only a long and proud tradition of Vietnamese but also a symbolic festival of birth and rebirth that only strengthen in the coming years,” Ngo said.
Many attending Mass — children and adults — wore traditional, colorful Vietnamese attire.
During his homily, Father Hoang said the New Year “reminds us as people of faith that our lives depend on God. Put your trust in God.”
“God invites us to one thing,” Father Hoang said, “to accept the Kingdom of God.”
As the community celebrates the New Year, Father Hoang said they are to repair their lives to be closer to God. “What is most important is our faith,” he said. “Have the courage to trust in the Lord. He will provide.”
At the end of Mass, Bishop Walsh blessed the congregation. Attendees ages 65 and older approached the front of the cathedral for a separate blessing from the bishop. Father Hoang said, “Respect your elders. They are the backbone of our community. They help us pass on the faith.”
Then, youths ages 18 and younger received red envelopes of “lucky money.” This is a tradition in which the eldest family members give red envelopes to the children and young adults while advising them about life, school and work. Red envelopes symbolize hope for prosperity for the youngest family members. In turn, the youths express good luck, success and good health in the New Year to their elders.
