Could you imagine life in 1959? A small group of Catholics ventured to Tân Thịnh. They sought to cultivate new land. Most were relatives of Father Đaminh Lê Bá Tư. They hailed from distant villages.
Nhà Thờ Tân Thịnh began as a dream. These families had migrated south in 1954. They came from northern villages. By 1959, only about 100 remained. They faced hardship. Over time, they transformed the land. More people joined them. The community grew.
Father Đaminh Lê Bá Tư cared for them. He was pastor of Bùi Môn parish. In 1960, tragedy struck. Father Tư fell during Christmas preparations. Father Phêrô Tạ Đức Kiểm succeeded him. He entrusted Tân Thịnh to Father Giuse Trần Trọng Báu.
With support from the Lê Tiến family, they built a simple church. It became the heart of their community. Mr. Đaminh Lê Tiến lived in Saigon. He had many relatives in Tân Thịnh. His family later moved abroad. He passed away in 2009.
Nuns from the Mến Thánh Giá Bắc Ninh helped from 1973. They lived near the church. Father Giuse Đinh Xuân Hiên introduced them. He was principal of Don Bosco Thủ Đức.
The community became known as Cầu Bông. Some say a bridge crossed the An Hạ River. It was on the road from Saigon to Tây Ninh. Merchants sold flowers there. Others say wild cotton bloomed near the bridge. Regardless, Tân Thịnh is the official name.
The name Tân Thịnh reflects their aspirations. They were starting anew. They hoped for prosperity. After 1975, Father Báu retired. Pastors from Phát Môn continued ministering. In 1988, Father Đinh Quang Tịnh took over.
In 1991, the congregation numbered about 500. They were mainly rice farmers. Their methods were manual. Their land was acidic. Yet, they shared a strong community spirit.
In 1993, Tân Thịnh officially became a parish. The Salesian community of Cầu Bông took charge. Father Fabiano Lê Văn Hào was the pastor. Thầy Giuse Nguyễn Chấn Hưng and Thầy Đaminh Đỗ Văn Bình assisted him. The Parish Council was formed. They divided the congregation into zones.
In 1993, a wooden bell tower was erected. In 1994, the Giuse zone built a chapel. In 1997, the Mẹ Phù Hộ zone built a chapel of leaves. Later, this became the Cầu Lớn parish.
In 1997, the bell tower was renovated. In 1998, an outdoor statue of Mary was erected. Roads in the Bosco area were paved. The parish cemetery was renovated.
The Nhà Thờ Tân Thịnh underwent major renovations in 2000. In 2008, Father Phanxicô Xaviê Trần Văn Cường became pastor. In 2012, Archbishop Gioan Baotixita Phạm Minh Mẫn dedicated the new altar.
By 2013, the parish had two zones. The Parish Council had 13 members. Various groups thrived. The total population was 917. Most worked in trades or factories. Life was easier than before. The Nhà Thờ Tân Thịnh stands as a testament. It embodies faith and resilience.