The Jesuit Candidacy House in Thu Duc City celebrated the Feast of St Ignatius on 27 July with a lively gathering of Jesuit candidates, primarily from the southern region of Vietnam, numerous benefactors, friends, some Jesuits from Canada, the Philippines, and the USA, and, notably, the families and friends of 18 incoming novices about to join the Sacred Heart Jesuit Novitiate.
The celebration opened with a dramatisation of the life and mission of St Peter Claver, known as the apostle to the slaves. The candidates showcased their theatrical talents, inspiring the audience with the saint’s dedication to serving the impoverished, marginalised, and those whose dignity had been violated. The presentation invited the audience to reflect on today’s social context, encouraging them to serve and contribute to making the world a better place by collaborating in God’s creative work.
A solemn Mass in honour of St Ignatius of Loyola followed at Thiên Thần Church, with outgoing prenovitiate and candidacy director Fr Anthony Triêm SJ presiding, eight other priests concelebrating, and one Jesuit deacon serving. Fr John Pham Duy Anh SJ was introduced during the Mass as the new director of the Jesuit Candidate House. In his homily, Fr John helped the faithful understand more deeply the call to become servants of God and the Church through the figure of St Ignatius who was distinguished by his passion for God, humanity, and the world.
After the Mass, a fraternal banquet featuring traditional Vietnamese cuisine ensued. The celebration continued with cultural performances from Jesuits, prenovices, candidates, and guests. The new director introduced the 18 incoming novices who will enter the Sacred Heart Novitiate on 31 July, and the 20 incoming prenovices who will begin their discernment and formation on 12 August.
The occasion provided a meaningful platform for the Jesuit Candidacy House to introduce and cultivate Ignatian spirituality and the Jesuit tradition among friends and collaborators in the mission. It allowed the Jesuit community, benefactors, and friends to witness and participate in the vibrant and dynamic spirit of the Jesuit Candidacy House. It also underscored the importance of Ignatian spirituality in nurturing individuals committed to serving others, reflecting the core values of the Jesuit tradition.
To support its mission of helping young men discern a vocation to the Society of Jesus, the Jesuit Candidacy House of the Vietnamese Province is well-organised, with a team of Jesuits serving as director, minister, prefect of studies, and assistant to the prefect of studies. Currently, it has around 80 candidates in the southern region (mainly in Ho Chi Minh City) and 20 candidates in the central and northern regions. They are distributed into different communities, each consisting of 6 to 7 members. These communities gather about every two weeks. There are five key aspects of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual, communal, and apostolic. Spiritual directors and teachers in English and the humanities also join them in the journey.
Deacon Tran Ngoc Huynh SJ is the incoming prefect of studies for prenovices and candidates of the Vietnamese Jesuit Province. He completed his first cycle of theological studies in Rome.