At 9:00 a.m. on October 17, 2026, at Phuoc Hai Monastery of Our Lady of the Cistercian Order, His Excellency Bishop Emmanuel Nguyen Hong Son, Bishop of the Diocese of Ba Ria, presided over the Thanksgiving Mass, during which the Rite of the Dedication of the Chapel and the Consecration of the Altar was celebrated, together with the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Monastery’s foundation (1976–2026). Joining in the Eucharistic celebration were numerous abbots, abbesses, superiors, priests, men and women religious, benefactors, relatives, friends, and other distinguished guests.

This celebration marked a significant milestone in the monastic journey of the community. The long-held aspiration to have a worthy chapel in which to worship God had finally become a reality, while also opening a new chapter after half a century of foundation and growth.

Looking back over these fifty years, the community gratefully recalls its difficult beginnings: from the land donated in 1973 to the humble first steps of the founding sisters amid the desolate hills, where life was marked by many hardships and material deprivation. Through the support of other monasteries, priests, sisters of the Order, and the generosity of benefactors, relatives, and friends, the community gradually developed. In 1999, the Phuoc Hai community was officially recognized as a dependent house; in 2001, it was elevated to the status of an autonomous monastery; and in 2010, it became a sui iuris monastery.

The construction of the chapel began with the groundbreaking ceremony and the laying of the first stone in 2023. After months of persevering prayer, united efforts in construction, and generous assistance from many people, the new chapel was completed. It has become a special gift of grace on the occasion of the Monastery’s 50th anniversary.

In his homily, drawing upon the Word of God, Bishop Emmanuel invited the community not only to contemplate the meaning of the rites of the dedication of the chapel and the consecration of the altar, but also to build their own hearts into living temples of God. While the chapel is constructed from visible and tangible materials, the spiritual temple is built through each person's life, with Christ as its cornerstone.

The Bishop emphasized that dedication means setting something apart for God, while consecration means making it holy. Therefore, everyone is called to purify their hearts, remove whatever is unworthy, and dedicate their entire lives to the Lord according to their respective vocations. Referring to the church, adorned, illuminated, and filled with incense, the Bishop reminded the faithful that holiness must not be confined to life within the church. Rather, they are called to spread the fragrance of God's love through their daily lives, expressed in concrete acts of kindness and love toward everyone.

Following the homily, Bishop Emmanuel presided over the rites of the dedication of the chapel and the consecration of the altar. Through the rites of blessing with holy water, anointing, incensation, and the lighting of the altar, the chapel was set apart for divine worship. The Bishop also presented the Certificate of Dedication to the representative of the monastic community.

At the conclusion of the Mass, a representative of the Monastery expressed heartfelt gratitude to Bishop Emmanuel, the abbots, superiors, priests, men and women religious, and all those present. The Monastery also offered its profound thanks to the generations who had gone before, benefactors, relatives, friends, architects, construction teams, and all who had generously contributed their efforts, material resources, and prayers to bring the chapel to completion. These generous acts stand as signs of communion and love for the Monastery.

The Eucharistic celebration concluded in an atmosphere of thanksgiving and fraternal communion. The fiftieth anniversary of the Monastery is not an ending, nor is the new chapel the final destination. Rather, both mark the beginning of a new chapter, in which the community is called to remain faithful to its contemplative monastic life, persevering in silent prayer and intercession for the Church and the whole world.