Three Jesuits were ordained to the order of the presbyterate and four Jesuit scholastics ordained deacons in Vietnam on December 3, 2012, the Feast of St Francis Xavier, the Patron Saint of Missions and of the Society of Jesus in Vietnam. Bishop Peter Nguyễn Văn Khảm, auxiliary bishop of the Saigon Archdiocese presided at the Holy Mass and ordination held in Epiphany Parish, Thủ Đức (Ho Chi Minh City). Four other religious were ordained deacons in the same Mass.
The three Jesuits ordained as priests are Barnabas Vũ Minh Trí SJ, Joseph Ngô Viết Tấn SJ, and Martin Phạm Hữu Mạnh Khiết SJ. The four scholastics ordained as deacons are Thomas Aquinas Tạ Trung Hải SJ, Joseph Chu Thái Hiệp SJ, Anthony Nguyễn Thành Nguyên SJ, and Joseph Bùi Ngọc Thắng SJ.
Concelebrating with Bishop Văn Khảm were 90 priests from various dioceses including the superiors of the congregations to which the new priests and deacons belong. About 2,000 Catholics including relatives, sponsors, supporters and parishioners participated in the Mass.
In his homily, Bishop Văn Khảm reminded the congregation that the main motivation compelling the candidates to respond “Here! I am” to the pastor’s call, “comes from the strength of faith, not from human weakness”.
He said, “It is faith that illuminates you to discover out of your heart a call, hidden but very profound and intensive. That is God’s call!”
Bishop Văn Khảm added that by the action of the Holy Spirit, once you respond “Here I am”, the responsibilities of being prophet, priest, and pastor, following the example of Jesus Christ, are entrusted to you.
The question that comes next, according to Bishop Văn Khảm, is “How can you rise up to your responsibilities today?”
His answer was – like St Francis Xavier, who preached and talked about God with wholehearted enthusiasm and generosity coming from a fire of love for Jesus Christ burning constantly in his heart toward those he was sent to serve.
With this ordination, the Vietnamese Province of the Society of Jesus now has 47 priests, 4 deacons, 91 scholastics, 19 brothers, 28 novices, and 134 candidates. Thanks be to God for the great grace he has bestowed on the Society in Vietnam.