CNA Staff, Apr 11, 2025 /
09:08 am
In the Vietnamese highlands lives a colony of people suffering from a chronic infectious disease that often leads to a loss of sense of touch and pain, physical deformities, and life-altering social prejudice — leprosy.
But when Monsignor Roger Landry — director of the Pontifical Mission Societies USA — visited the colony this week, he said it was an honor.
At a leper colony in the Kon Tum area in Vietnam, Landry celebrated Mass, brought Communion to people, and distributed food and sandals, working with St. Joseph’s Mission Charity.
In one striking video he shared on social media, Landry helped create a cast of one man’s foot so that it could be made into a perfectly fitting sandal.
“Jesus anointed the feet of his beloved Apostles at the upper room, and he sent us out to do the same,” Landry said. “It’s one of the great honors of my life to be able to do this.”
“Each sandal needs to be sculpted to each foot,” he explained in the April 7 post. “They are so grateful. If their feet bleed, the[y] could pass on the disease to others.”
Day 2 in Vietnam was a powerful day in the leper colony of Kontum, with Mass, communion calls, distribution of sandals and food, making casts for new sandals and more. Thanks to St. Joseph’s Mission Charity for their great collaboration in caring for these children of God. pic.twitter.com/hPYD7476su
— Msgr. Roger Landry (@FrRogerLandry) April 8, 2025
Despite being relatively treatable now, at least 250,000 people suffer from leprosy across the world — and many still experience social isolation, as they did in the time of Christ.
Landry was visibly touched by the “great faith” of the people of the leper colony.
After Mass at “a beautifully packed” church at 5 in the morning, Landry recalled Communion visits to various people with leprosy who were physically unable to come to Mass.
“The first leper whom we visited with great hunger looked up to the Lord through watery eyes and received the Lord on his tongue because he no longer had hands,” Landry said.
“He received with great faith.”
Another woman, unable to walk, crawled forward to receive Jesus “and then received him with great love,” Landry said.
“She was so excited to be able to receive the Lord Jesus,” Landry recalled.
The purpose of the Pontifical Mission Societies, Landry added, is this: “bringing Jesus, the light of the world, to people — no matter what they’re suffering.”
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Kate Quiñones is a staff writer for Catholic News Agency and a fellow of the College Fix. She has been published by the Wall Street Journal, the Denver Catholic Register, and CatholicVote, and she graduated from Hillsdale College. She lives in Colorado with her husband.
