Home | About Us | Contact Vocation Office | Site Directory

Many people like to live in the United States of America because it is know as the land of opportunity.  Such people risked their lives to come here in the hope of having a better future.  I was not among the boat people who risked their lives escaping from Viet Nam but I was fortunate to travel to the United States by plane because the American Army had sponsored our family to have an opportunity in the new world.

When I arrived in this country, I started thinking of ways to achieve the American dream.  I wanted to invest in real estate in the coming years.  I would surely find happiness.  However, this way of life changed when my gnawing desires to help the poor and the needy reappeared.  I always wanted to help the less fortunate children in View Nam to have a chance for an education.  

After middle school, I began my first part-time job.  I had wonderful thoughts about how I could help my family and needy people with the money I was making.  I was very confident and quite proud that I was capable of supporting myself.  After a year of work my family bought their first house.

I started to weigh my options.  I did not want to give up my job because I was a big help to the family.  I told myself that I could set aside part of my income for works of charity, but that never really happened.

I could not stop thinking about another option, namely, religious life.  I was so confused that I did not know what to do with my life.  However, an inner voice spoke to me: "Go!  Give religious life a try; you can always go back and restart your life if you are not satisfied with that life-style."

I thought more, I prayed more.  In the past, my prayers had always been answered in one way or another.  This time was no exception.  I did not make the decision right away, but continued to reflect on it in my mind and heart.  After a period of time, I came to realize that the inner voice was the one that I wanted to listen to.  I responded by applying to Priest of the Sacred Heart .  The decision was a turning point in my life.

People often talk about finding out a way for oneself.  Duc Huy, a Vietnamese composer, has a famous line in one of his famous songs, "Tim mot con duong, tim not loi di."  Literally it means "To search for a way, to search for a path."  Symbolically it means that "People find for themselves their own destinations and commitments."  Some choose to become engineers, others journalists, etc.  For some, a religious community life is more appealing and attractive.  However, it really took me a long time to find out that I'm called to a religious community.  I'm still discerning my calling of Gods works. 

I trust that this growth thus far will continue and with God's help I can enthusiastically embrace God's call to serve people everywhere, especially the poor and the suffering.

Top of Page