Archdiocese of Louisville seminarians, David Vest and Cuong Le, will continue to give God their “yes” as they take the next step toward the priesthood on April 11.
They will be ordained to the transitional diaconate by Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre at the Cathedral of the Assumption at 11 a.m. All are welcome to attend.
The transitional diaconate is a step on the path to priesthood and typically precedes a final year of formation.
“As I get closer to ordination to the diaconate, I’m filled with excitement at the opportunity to serve as Christ the Servant and to be able to offer the sacraments to the people of God in the Archdiocese of Louisville.”
— David Vest, seminarian
David Vest, 24, graduated from Marian University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Catholic studies and a minor in history and classics. Vest is currently pursuing a Master’s of Divinity degree from Mount St. Mary’s of the West in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Vest, who hails from Louisville, is the son of Michael and Ann Vest and the youngest of three children. His home parish is St. Athanasius.
“As I get closer to ordination to the diaconate, I’m filled with excitement at the opportunity to serve as Christ the Servant and to be able to offer the sacraments to the people of God in the Archdiocese of Louisville,” he said in an interview by email.
“Being a seminarian has been a fruitful experience. The summers have been a special blessing,” said Vest in a recent interview by email.
Seminarians use their summers to grow in their knowledge of the Church outside of the classroom. “During the summertime, in order to keep us still active in parishes, to keep our spiritual life active, and also learn a little bit about parish life, the Vocation office assigns us to different parishes,” Vest said in a recent video interview posted to Facebook by the Louisville Vocations office.
Vest has served in the past at St. Francis of Assisi and St. Edward churches and looks forward to serving at a parish this summer.
Calling the diaconate “a blessed privilege and gift,” Vest said he looks forward to serving in “these communities and walk with them in their faith journeys as they grow deeper in their relationship with Christ.”
Cuong Le, 34, is from Ha Tinh, Vietnam, and the youngest of five children. He is currently studying at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. His home parish is St. Michael.
In a recent video interview, Le said that he learned the power of prayer early in his life from his father, but didn’t consider becoming a priest as a child.
In the video, produced by the Archdiocese of Louisville’s Vocations Office, Le said that he felt called to the priesthood after attending a retreat in the summer of 2018. He was accepted into the seminary for the Archdiocese of Louisville at the end of 2019.
“There was something missing in my life,” he said, adding that the retreat led him to reflect that even though he enjoyed his life, he knew there was something missing.
Le noted that when he came to the United States, he didn’t know any English.
“I was shocked about the culture; everything was new for me,” he said. “But I feel that it is the happiest time ever in my life.
“It is not an easy journey, but it is worthy, and you will find peace, love and joy in that journey,” Le added, addressing men who may feel called to discern religious life.
