A vibrant Franciscan community in Saigon, Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) has become a shining beacon of Catholic education for students in the country. Originally founded in 1958 as a seminary for the priesthood, the Franciscan Institute is now one of the oldest and largest Catholic study centers in Saigon.

The Institute is managed by a group of Franciscan brothers known as the Province of St. Francis (PFV). Seeing a rise in interest and need for education in the region, the PFV expanded the institute’s enrollment in 2002 beyond seminarians to include students from local parishes. Over the years, educational classes and religious formation became what is now the Franciscan Institute. The institute offers a comprehensive program of three years of philosophy and four years of theology. It enrolled 222 students for the 2024-2025 academic year, guided by 60 professors.

The institute was facing serious challenges with infrastructure. There weren’t enough rooms for all the students, so a project began to construct new classrooms and administrative offices. The rooms would also serve local workers living in the area who came to catechism classes.

The new building included four classrooms, each accommodating 40 students, an academic office, a professors’ reception room, two rooms for school deans to meet with students, and a small chapel for student and faculty prayer. Each classroom was equipped with desks and chairs, a chalkboard, projection screen, a computer, air conditioning, lighting, Wi-Fi access, power outlets, speakers, and a microphone system.

With an improved space for teaching, the Institute is able to continue its mission of sharing Franciscan philosophy and theology. Serving as much more than a building project, this endeavor will allow for the formation and education of thousands of students and Franciscan brothers. The Franciscan Institute will remain the cornerstone of the pastoral mission of the PFV for years to come.