INTRODUCING THE MEN WHO HAVE JUST JOINED THE MSC: TRIEU NGUYEN

“To be MSC means to be yourself”

This is the sentence that impressed me and helped me make the decision to join the MSC order.

My name is Trieu Nguyen and I come from Viet Nam. I was a diocesan seminarian for three years. At the end of the third year I was directed by the Rector to leave the seminary and go to the Philippines to undertake a leadership course. At that time although very disappointed and sad to leave my brothers, I trusted that I would come to understand God’s will through this decision. I looked for where I could best serve God because I accepted that I was not suited to the diocesan priesthood.

During the time in the Philippines I remembered that I had been introduced to the MSC order by a priest who had been given a spiritual direction scholarship by them. I asked an Australia friend, who was my English teacher in the seminary to help me connect with the MSCs in Australia. He did that for me and that is how I began my association with them and was in time invited to join them.

Looking back on my life story so far there is joy and sadness, happiness and suffering, hope and disappointment. I have always believed that God is present in my life even though sometimes I have felt abandoned.  I also understand that God has a plan for each of us and it is a mystery that must unfold as we journey with Him. When I was in the seminary, I had no desire to go overseas. I didn’t give it a thought. But here I am and ready to join the pre-noviciate year with three others.

I do not know what will happen in the future, but I believe that God has called me here. He will help me and remain with me. I am at peace and I take this gift with me as I begin this important year. It will inspire me to trust God further and to share it with all I meet in my new life as a missionary of Jesus’ love.