Thieu Nhi Thanh The:
The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement Growing Together as Virtuous People and Good Christians
T
he Saint Michael Parish’s Thieu Nhi Thanh The (TNTT) organization — which, translated means “Eucharistic Youth Movement” — is a dedicated group of youth and volunteers who spend three Sundays per month learning and practicing the Catholic faith together. It’s not only an opportunity to pass along Vietnamese culture, but it’s also a valuable way of teaching kindergarten to high school youth how to be virtuous people and good Christians. The SMP TNTT group, The 2022 Lenten Retreat — Renewed at Camp Lakeview called the Emmanuel Chapter, was founded in 2003. TNTT is for her to learn more about the Vietnamese culture a worldwide organization, with about 25,000 and her Catholic faith, all while making friends. members in the United States alone. About 40 “Culture can get washed away from generation to 50 local youth meet from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 to generation,” Diana says. “Maybe people make p.m. on the first, second, and third Sundays of you think your culture isn’t cool. TNTT shows you each month here at SMP. All of the current team that your faith and culture are cool.” members participated in TNTT as youths. The four foundations of TNTT are prayer, Sessions start with a salutation to the chapter’s communion, sacrifice and apostolic work. In addition, flag, a song, reading of the Gospel in English and there are 10 vows in TNTT — prayers, the Eucharist, Vietnamese, and a skit related to the Gospel. Youth sacrifices, to be apostles, obedience, purity, charity, divide into groups by age. The youth also have honesty, responsibility, and spiritual bouquet. retreats together and do community service. “The ‘spiritual bouquet’ means you pray each Thuy Nguyen is the SMP TNTT chapter morning and pray at night,” Thuy says. “You take president. She first got involved with TNTT as a everything that you do during the day, write it in child living in GaLang Island - Indonesia. a journal, and assess what to do during the day. “When I went to TNTT, we were a family,” Thuy What did you promise but didn’t do? Do we give God says. “We all had the same desire to know more enough time?” about God and our faith.” In addition, TNTT involves parents in any way Thuy’s children encouraged her to participate they can. here at SMP. She has been involved for six years. “Parents play an important role in faith at home,” Diana Nguyen serves as treasurer. She started Thuy says. “Getting them involved is important. We TNTT in about second grade. It’s been a valuable way want to promote the Catholic faith at home.” TNTT is always looking for more volunteers. Volunteers must be approved by the local chapter’s chaplain, are required to attend the national leadership training, and be certified by the national TNTT board. If you would like more information, contact Thuy Nguyen at 360-280-5406 or tntt_lead@saintmichaelparish.org.
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