St. Joseph the Worker Parish Church

A long-standing Catholic parish church of the Diocese of My Tho (locally known as Cho Cu Church or St. Joseph the Worker Parish) closely linked to working-class families, merchants, and artisans along the Bao Dinh River and Ly Thuong Kiet area in My Tho Ward. The church features graceful Romanesque architectural lines, a soaring bell tower, and a peaceful tree-shaded courtyard.

Developed alongside the historic Catholic communities surrounding the Old Market port and the urban core of My Tho Ward within the Diocese of My Tho (canonically erected on November 24, 1960), St. Joseph the Worker Parish Church takes as its patron saint the protector of laborers and craftspeople. For decades, the parish has been deeply intertwined with the daily lives of families, carpenters, masons, and market vendors living near the Bao Dinh River and Ly Thuong Kiet corridor, enriching My Tho's multi-confessional urban fabric. Architecturally, the church harmonizes classic Western Romanesque arched motifs with Southern Vietnamese tropical climate adaptations. Its symmetrical facade rises to a central bell tower flanked by louvered and stained-glass arched windows that filter the delta sunlight, while steeply pitched tiled roofs shed heavy monsoon rains. Inside the nave, rhythmic colonnades guide the eye toward a serene sanctuary featuring the statue of St. Joseph holding carpenter's tools—a direct tribute to the industrious spirit of local parishioners. Shaded by mature Hopea trees and anchored by a peaceful Marian grotto in the courtyard, the church rings its bells at 05:00 and 17:30 daily across the surrounding neighborhoods. During the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1 and the Christmas season, the parish grounds are illuminated with nativity scenes and lanterns, welcoming residents and travelers of all backgrounds to experience the warmth of the community.