Thieu Nhi Thanh The: The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement Growing Together as Virtuous People

The 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, called the Emmanuel Chapter, was founded in 2003. TNTT is a worldwide organization, with about 25,000 members in the United States alone. About 40 to 50 local youth meet from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on the first, second, and third Sundays of each month here at SMP. All of the current team members participated in TNTT as youths.

Sessions start with a salutation to the chapter’s flag, a song, reading of the Gospel in English and Vietnamese, and a skit related to the Gospel. Youth divide into groups by age. The youth also have retreats together and do community service. Thuy Nguyen is the SMP TNTT chapter president. She first got involved with TNTT as a child living in GaLang Island - Indonesia.

“When I went to TNTT, we were a family,” Thuy says. “We all had the same desire to know more about God and our faith.”

Thuy’s children encouraged her to participate here at SMP. She has been involved for six years. Diana Nguyen serves as treasurer. She started TNTT in about second grade. It’s been a valuable way for her to learn more about the Vietnamese culture and her Catholic faith, all while making friends.

“Culture can get washed away from generation to generation,” Diana says. “Maybe people make you think your culture isn’t cool. TNTT shows you that your faith and culture are cool.”

The four foundations of TNTT are prayer, communion, sacrifice and apostolic work. In addition, there are 10 vows in TNTT — prayers, the Eucharist, sacrifices, to be apostles, obedience, purity, charity, honesty, responsibility, and spiritual bouquet.

“The ‘spiritual bouquet’ means you pray each morning and pray at night,” Thuy says. “You take everything that you do during the day, write it in a journal, and assess what to do during the day. What did you promise but didn’t do? Do we give God enough time?”

In addition, TNTT involves parents in any way they can.

“Parents play an important role in faith at home,” Thuy says. “Getting them involved is important. We 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.