What do you like most about being a seminarian?
The thing I like most about being a seminarian is that I have much opportunity to improve virtues and to experience the mission of Jesus’ disciples. With virtues, I train myself to become a good man, a good seminarian, and then a good priest. For the mission of Jesus’s disciples, I desire to express values of love, peace, forgiveness, and hope to God’s people.
What would you say to a young man trying to figure out his calling in life?
For a young man trying to figure out his calling in life, I would like to encourage him to pray to God to recognize God’s will. When realizing God’s will, he is called to feel peaceful, free, and happy to do what God wants. This also requires courage and sacrifice. Additionally, he may ask the wise, such as priests and the vocation director for their good advice for his discernment.
Is there any person or saint whom you credit with interceding on your behalf to God for your vocational discernment?
Fr. Anthony Bui Duc Duyet, the pastor of my home parish in Vietnam from 1995-2009, is one who had a big impact on my vocational discernment. I was living with him in the rectory of the parish when I was eight years old until entering the university. He was a man of prayer. He encouraged and taught me how to pray, contemplate and meditate for growing my spiritual life. He was a man of the poor, who was willing to support the poor, both Catholics and non-Catholics. He inspired me to have love and mercy for others in the church and society. He was also a man of serving people, who was always a good shepherd of God and his people. He inspires me to sacrifice and devote my life unconditionally to others.
Are there specific life changes that you have had to make to be successful at seminary formation?
For human formation, when entering the seminary, I have trained to become more confident and easygoing in communicating with others. For spiritual formation, I have tried to keep balance in maintaining and developing my spiritual dimension in personal and communal aspect. For intellectual formation, I have trained myself very hard through improving the skills of reading, listening, writing, and speaking in the seminary. For pastoral formation, I have to have a sensitive heart, a sympathetic attitude, a generous hand, and a specific sacrifice to serve God and His people
