February 13, 2014 - Four Vietnamese Seminarians to be Ordained on February 15th*

Contact:  Rev. Denis Sweeney, C.Ss.R
(617) 445 – 2600

Braintree, MA (February 13, 2014) -- On Saturday, February 15, 2014 four Vietnamese seminarians will be ordained to the priesthood. The celebration will take place at 11am in the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 1545 Tremont Street, Boston, MA.  Boston’s Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is one of twenty-two parishes served by the Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province.

The ordaining Bishop is Archbishop Joseph Tobin, C.Ss.R., and Archbishop of Indianapolis, Indiana. Bishop is the former Superior General for the world-wide Redemptorists Congregation. 

The four seminarians are:

Rev. Deacon Joseph Hung Duc Tran, C.Ss.R. (North Vietnam)
Rev. Deacon Peter Linh Ba Quoc Nguyen, C.Ss.R. (South Vietnam)
Rev. Deacon Francis Quang Van Tran, C.Ss.R. (North Vietnam)
Rev. Deacon Joseph Thang Nhat Nguyen, C.Ss.R. (South Vietnam)

Through an agreement with the Redemptorists two provinces, Vietnam and Baltimore, these four came to Boston and Mission Church in July, 2010. The Redemptorists seminary in South Vietnam has many professed students, but scarcity of professors.
Their formation and studies included a year of English-language classes at Boston University’s Center for English Language and Orientation Programs (CELOP).

In August, 2011 they were accepted into St. John Seminary to continue their theology studies and pursue Master of Divinity degree for priesthood.  This past December, 2013 they graduated from St. John Seminary with degree.  All were ordained Deacons back in South Vietnam on July 2, 2013.

At present, Hung assists as deacon on weekends at Sacred Hearts in Malden, Linh at St. Ambrose, Dorchester, Quang at Sacred Heart, East Boston and Thang at St. Bernadette, Randolph.  Following ordination, Francis Quang (Philosophy) and Joseph Thang (Fundamental Theology) will pursue further degree at Boston College and return in 2 years to Vietnam and teach in our seminary. Joseph Hung and Peter Linh will takes classes at Northeastern for "accent reduction" and be assigned to parish in our province September, 2014.