On Sunday morning, February 19, 2023, the Custody of Saint Francis Anthony Fasani in Vietnam was joyful to have two friars being ordained to the Priesthood and two friars being ordained to the Diaconate through the imposition of the hands of The Most Reverend Joseph NGUYỄN Tấn Tước, Bishop of Phu Cuong Diocese. The ordinations took place at Son Loc Parish in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The two deacons are friar Joseph LÊ Văn Vượng, the treasure of the Annunciation Friary in Củ Chi and assistant of the Postulant Director, and friar Paul TRƯƠNG Văn Mỹ, the assistant of Novice Master in Saint Francis of Assisi Friary in Dak Nông. Two new priests are friar Joseph NGUYỄN Văn Nhàn who is doing ministry for the lepers at Văn Môn Leper Camp in the north of Vietnam, and friar Joseph VÕ Quốc Cường, a member of Mother Province of Saint Joseph of Cupertino in California, USA.
Those attending included Friar Joseph TRẦN Văn Long, Provincial Custos; Friar Tammylee NGO, Provincial Definitor of Saint Joseph of Cupertino Province in California, USA; friars of the Custody, various other priests and religious from other congregations and dioceses; families of the newly ordained friars and the local faithful. Father Victor Abegg, Provincial of Saint Joseph of Cupertino, USA, had come to Vietnam one week before the Ordination, but eventually could not attend the Holy Mass because he was not feeling well.
In his homily, the bishop shared that the sacred order of priesthood was a great gift of God to human beings so that through the priest’s lives and ministries, his Beloved Son keep on being present and doing his salvific activities for all people. He invited the newly ordained priests and deacons to deepen more in the mysteries of incarnation, ministry, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ in order to make their lives and ministries as fruitful as saint Francis did.
After the Ordination, the two new priests went to their local parishes to celebrate Thanksgiving Mass and gave blessings to their families.
We continue to ask God to grant our confrere the grace to have a good life in the fraternity and to perform the ministry entrusted to them with fidelity, humility, and commitment.
Thank you to Friar Giu-se Nguyễn Chính Luận, OFM Conv. for sharing this write-up and photos. Discover Learn more about our Franciscan Vietnam Mission
