Xuan Hiep, Vietnam, 4 June 2016 -- On Saturday, the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the parish Church of Xuan Hiep, 9 Salesians and 1 Rogationist were ordained to the Deaconate through the invocation of the Holy Spirit and the imposition of hands by The Most Reverend Joseph Tran Van Toan D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Long Xuyen Diocese.
The Diaconate Ordination took place at 6:30am with the participation of parents of the candidates, their relatives, benefactors, friends and young people in Salesian settings, where the brothers had been sent for practical training and apostolate. A good number of priests, Salesians and religious attended the celebration.
In his homily, addressing in a particular way to the deacons to be, Bishop Toan said: “Vocations in the Church are mysteries, but these vocations nowadays are in trial because of secularization. Only in prayers, we are able to have direct contact with the Lord who has called us, who has accompanied us and who is the portion of our inheritance; only in prayers, we are able to overcome secularization, to be free for noble choices and to commit our total beings for Him. Be faithful to your daily meditation, and with that you are able to transform your conscience into Tabernacles, where The Lord is present, so that every night when you place yourselves in His presence, you realize that as deacons, you are allowed to intimately contact with Him in your ministry and to encounter Him in your services to the poor. As deacons, you encounter the Lord in a special way in your hearts that He may enlighten you and help you to have self-examinations whether you may be secular or faithful in your vocations and in your ministry. May the Lord continue sanctifying you!”
At the end of the Holy Mass, Father Joseph Quang, Provincial of the Salesians, thanked Bishop Toan, priests, religious superiors and everyone for attending the Celebration to pray for the newly-ordained deacons. Father Quang also thanked parents of the newly-ordained deacons and benefactors for their generosity and unfailing support. He also thanked the parish priest and parish council of Xuan Hiep, the Choir of Dominican Sisters of Saint Rose of Lima for organizing the beautiful celebration.
To fulfill their services as deacons and their priestly ministry later on – like Jesus, who comes to serve, not to be served and to give his life as a ransom for many – the newly-ordained deacons are in need of our prayers, accompaniment, assistance and encouragement. May they be able to live as the motto of their diaconate ordination: “I have become all things to all people” (1Corinthians 9:22)
The followings are newly-ordained deacons:
- Martin Tran That Bao, SDB
- John the Baptist Tran Hoang Diem, SDB
- Joseph Phan Trung Thanh, SDB
- Peter Truong Van Hoan, SDB
- Dominic Savio Dinh Phung Linh, SDB
- Peter Nguyen Ngoc Luong, SDB
- John the Baptist Hoang Minh Thanh, SDB
- John Tran Anh Tien, SDB
- Peter Tran Van Trung, SDB
- Joseph Hoang Xuan Huong, RCJ
