To the 20 Jesuit scholastics from Jesuit colleges in Rome, the fine weather on Tuesday, 11 April, was a grace of the Lord. The Holy Mass of their diaconate ordination attended by some 200 priests and 400 guests started at 4pm in the Church of the Gesù with a solemn procession from the entrance to the altar. His Eminence Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, Archbishop of Luxembourg, was the ordaining prelate.
In his homily, Cardinal Hollerich recounted the encounter between the resurrected Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene saw the resurrected Jesus, and the Cardinal asked the deacons whether they remember seeing Jesus in their life. As deacons, they are called to serve beyond the liturgical celebrations and to reach out to the people, especially the poor. If they have not yet found the face of Jesus among the poor, they have not found Jesus. Only through true service to the people, especially the poor, will their proclamation of the good news gain authority and conviction. Therefore it is essential for a deacon to see Jesus and live in true service because being a deacon is the foundation of a true priesthood.
Out of the 20 new deacons from 16 Jesuit provinces across the world, five are members of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific, including Deacons Francis Xavier Pham Quang Khanh SJ, Paul Bui Duc Thien SJ, Vincent Tran Van Dinh SJ, and Gerald Lukwe SJ.
Deacon Vincent Tran Van Dinh SJ, 35, was born in Nam Định Province, and completed his engineering degree at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. In 2013, he was admitted to the Sacred Heart Novitiate and studied philosophy at Saint Joseph Jesuit Scholasticate in 2015. He then completed his two-year Regency with Vatican Radio before starting his theology studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
Deacon Francis Xavier Pham Quang Khanh SJ, 39, was born in Thai Binh, Vietnam. He graduated with a degree in Foreign Economics from Vietnam National University in Hanoi and had some experience working in the field before joining the Sacred Heart Novitiate in 2013. After completing all the requirements of the philosophy programme at St Joseph Jesuit Scholasticate, he was sent to Hoa Chung, a sub-parish of the diocese of Thanh Hoa, for two years of Regency. There he served as minister of the Mission Group while also engaging in pastoral ministry. He was part of the communication team of the diocese, where he was responsible for managing its website’s content. Additionally, he accompanied a group of catholic students and directed the Spiritual Exercises for catholic students in different places during the summers. “Do[ing] everything in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col 3:17) is his guiding principle in serving the Lord and His holy people.
Deacon Paul Bui Duc Thien SJ, 36, was born in Dong Nai, Vietnam, and studied medicine at Ho Chi Minh City of Medicine and Pharmacy. He joined the novitiate in 2013, and after studying philosophy at St Joseph Jesuit Scholasticate, he was sent to Hanoi for two years of Regency in Ny parish.
Finally, Deacon Gerald Lukwe, 34, is from Myanmar. He entered the novitiate in 2012, and studied philosophy at Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat Driyarkara in Jakarta, Indonesia. During his Regency, he returned to Myanmar and served in Nan Hlaing parish, which is the only Jesuit Parish in the country. He worked as a boarding in-charge for the parish’s hostel for boys, where children from the more remote areas of the country come to study. He also helped the parish priest organise activities and programmes for the parishioners. The joy of being with them and the will to dedicate his service to the betterment of young people from marginalised societies led him to pursue theological studies in Rome.
The new deacons embark on this new phase of their lives guided by the words of Cardinal Hollerich: to always see the face of Jesus among the poor and to live their lives as Christ did in true service.