THE CULTURAL FARE OFFERED at the annual Taste of Vietnam festival at La Purísima Catholic Church in Orange attracts attendees from within the parish’s diverse community.
LA PURÍSIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH IN ORANGE HOSTED A TASTE OF VIETNAM ON SEPT. 14 AND 15. PHOTOS BY EVERETT JOHNSON/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
La Purísima is a multicultural parish attended by Vietnamese, Anglo, Latino and Filipino groups and the Taste of Vietnam is a way to bring the entire community together with the Catholic faith as the center of the gathering, said Ron Young, director of liturgy and ministry at La Purísima.
“The language that we speak might be different, but we are here for one purpose, which is the church and Jesus Christ,” Young said. “And it is great food, the best around. My wife loves the pho.”
Delicacies sold during this year’s festival held Sept.14 and 15 included pho, always the festival’s best seller, chuổi chiên (fried banana), bánh kẹp (Pandan waffles), gỏi cuổn (spring rolls) and more.
And while savoring the food, attendees could participate in karaoke and enjoy live entertainment on the stage.
La Purísima’s Taste of Vietnam is also one of the parish’s most successful fundraisers.
The event takes months of planning and is organized by a large group of volunteers, said Fr. Martin Nguyen, La Purísima’s pastor.
“It’s a lot of work,” Fr. Nguyen said. “It’s a huge commitment by all the volunteers that we have here, young and old. Once they say yes to this project, they do it themselves. And you see the reward. So, it’s a beautiful thing. The food is excellent. You can’t go wrong with Vietnamese food.”
The La Purísima youth ministry manned the booth that sold waffles.
Curtis Le, 9, a member of the youth ministry, said his favorite activities at the festival are eating waffles and hanging out with his friends.