Joaquim Magalhães de Castro
“Marriage doesn’t last long if it isn’t nurtured daily,” said Father Peter Nguyen Van Truong to participants of the 92nd Marriage Renewal Course, held at Sam Son Parish, Thanh Hoa Diocese, Central Vietnam, from November 21-23, 2025, with the presence of 50 Catholic and non-Catholic couples from various regions of the country and abroad. To date, 92 “Marriage Renewal” courses have been organized specifically for couples, regardless of religion, by the Diocesan Commissions for Marriage and Family Pastoral Care in parishes throughout Vietnam, reports Andrew Doan Thanh Phong, reporter for the Fides news agency.
These courses aim to help couples rediscover marriage as a sacred gift and a Sacrament instituted by God. The sessions generally address the challenges families face in modern life, as well as the role and mission of the family in the life of faith. Through this, couples hear accounts of significant everyday experiences and exchange ideas in an open spirit. Many couples were moved during the talks as they listened to the stories shared by other families.
These pastoral activities are essential in response to the rapid changes in our modern society, as marriage and family experts in Vietnam state: “In the context of globalization, urbanization, technological development, and changing perceptions in the new generation,” explains Mr. Truong Van Thom, a course participant at the Pastoral Center of the Diocese of Danang, “the value of marriage in Vietnam is undergoing major transformations. Before, divorce was considered the loss of the opportunity to find new happiness, but now many people are able to have a better life after divorce.” This view leads people to voluntarily end their current marriages in search of new happiness.” The results of the mid-2024 population and housing census show that the divorce/separation rate represents approximately 2.6% of the total population over 15 years of age, equivalent to about 2,225,000 people living in a situation of separation or divorce throughout the country. Among them, the two largest cities in the country, Ho Chi Minh City, with 263,300 inhabitants, and Hanoi, with 146,400 inhabitants, have the highest divorce rates in Vietnam.
“This is an alarming number, which reflects the fragility of marriage in modern life,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam, representative of the National Assembly, at the Assembly session on the morning of December 9, 2025. According to marriage and family experts, the roles of husband and wife in the structure of Vietnamese families have changed considerably today, as has the ideal image of husband and wife. It is completely different from the past. Previously, the wife focused mainly on housework and taking care of the family, While the husband was the primary provider, today the wife has more opportunities to work and have more social relationships. There are more conflicts and tensions between traditional and modern family values. Furthermore, many family members spend too much time on cell phones and social media instead of caring for their loved ones. In terms of preventing crises in marital life and reducing negative consequences, especially for children of divorced couples, experts advise couples to prepare carefully before marriage, participating, for example, in premarital courses. In addition, they need to balance growth between social life and family life equally. It is important that they remain married instead of seeking divorce.
In the article “Cultural and Ethical Values of Marriage and the Catholic Family in Contemporary Vietnam,” published in the Journal of Religious Studies by Dr. Do Thi Ngoc Anh, there is a passage that states: “In the context of the complex changes in current marital and family life, it must be affirmed that Catholicism…” The concept of marriage as a free and voluntary bond between two people… The idea of opposite-sex couples wishing to live together for life is positive and widely accepted. She continues: “Vietnamese Catholics, with their reverence for God, maintain their marital bond and consider it a grace bestowed by God. In addition to their own feelings, husband and wife must also pay attention to raising their children, carefully choosing their words, behavior, and lifestyle, setting an example and lesson for their children and grandchildren to follow.” For this reason, Catholic marriages in Vietnam are more stable and have fewer divorces compared to non-Catholic marriages, as stated in [Mt 19:6]: “What God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Follow
