Ordination to the Diaconate of Five Clerics of the Vietnam Province
Don Bosco Xuan Hiep Church, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 30 May 2020 -- At 6:30 a.m. on Saturday May 30, the Bishop of Bac Ninh Diocese, Jesuit Bishop Cosma Hoang Van Dat chaired the holy mass and the rite of ordination of five Salesian clerics: Peter Vu Dang Hoang Oanh, Augustine Tran Do Phuc, Joseph Nguyen Duy Hong Phuc, Vincent Pham Hoang Minh Son and Joseph Trinh Van Vinh.
In his greeting at the beginning of the mass, the bishop said that he saw the statue of St John Bosco and some children at the entrance of the church with the motto: Don Bosco, father, teacher and friend of youth. Therefore he prayed for the whole congregation, especially that the five candidates would be like that, so that the future of the Church and the world would change according to what Jesus and the Church always wished. He prayed that God would keep them in new joy and they might prepare themselves well for receiving the priesthood.
In his homily, the bishop showed his love for Don Bosco since he had been a little boy. He told some short stories about Don Bosco. One story was when Don Bosco had been a young boy, he had greeted a priest he had met but he had not replied to him. Then the boy John Bosco had made a determination that when he would become a priest he would always take the first step to greet everyone and to be friendly. The Bishop said that he had imitated Don Boso to always take the first step to greet everyone even with children and he still kept doing this. After that he also expressed his gratitude to the Salesians of Don Bosco for their presence in Hoa An community and parish in his diocese. He said that the presence of the Salesians there made a big change to that area. They brought new life and made that place very lively from very little things. Everyone, even the government loved them and no one could do anything bad to them now because everyone protected them and stayed on their side. He ended his homily with his wish for the candidates to become new Don Boscos to bring God’s Good News of joy, love and hope to everyone especially to young people.
When the mass came to an end, Fr. Joseph Nguyen Van Quang the Provincial of the Vietnam Province said some words of gratitude to the Bishop, superiors and religious of other congregations, benefactors and all present guests. He especially thanked and congratulated the parents and relatives of the newly ordained deacons. After that Bishop Cosma also gave some words in reply. He once again said thanks to the Salesian Congregation and said, “We feel free to make big plans and pray that God will always bless every our plan and that we will do everything for his glory.” Then he gave blessings before the ending song.
We continue to pray for the newly ordained deacons so that they can serve well in their new task and prepare them well for the coming ordination to the priesthood. And they may become as the bishop wished and prayed, new Don Boscos to bring Good News of joy, love and hope to everyone especially to young people.
