Vietnam MSC Stories
Graduation
On Saturday 7th of January, 2023, the Dominican Study Center (Centrum Dominicanum Studiorum) was delighted to hold a Graduation Ceremony for the 2019-2022 school year. MSC Viet Nam celebrated a joyous day today as we had two new graduates: Deacons Alphonsus Nguyen Dao Anh Tinh, MSC, and Paul Bui Thien Quy, MSC.
Present at the event was Fr. Thomas Aquinas Nguyen Truong Tam OP, Prior Provincial of the Province of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Vietnam. Fr. Rodel E. Aligan, OP, a representative of the UST Faculty of Sacred Theology, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines. Additionally, there were the Prefect of Theological Studies, professors, Dominican priests, superiors of religious congregations that sent their men to study at the Center, as well as parents, relatives, and friends of graduates.
The event opened with the greeting of Fr. Lam Van Sy OP – Vice President addressed everyone and congratulated the new graduates. At the graduation rites Fr. Rodel E. Aligan OP, handed the STB degrees to 43 graduates of the Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (STB).
Following the graduation rites, Fr. Thomas Aquinas Nguyen Truong Tam OP expressed his deep gratitude toward his fellow Dominican Professors, priests, religious, benefactors, collaborators, and families of the newly graduated.
A thanksgiving Mass was followed and presided over by Fr. Tam OP. Concelebrating with him was more than 30 priests.
A friendly gathering around a table of cake and tea ended the Graduation Ceremony.
Let us once more congratulate our Deacons Tinh and Quy and pray for them in every aspect of their present and future missions.
By Thanh Van Le, MSC
Year-end party at MSC Vietnam community
On Wednesday, 11th, 2023, our Vietnamese MSCs gathered at Thu Duc's house to celebrate Year-end Mass and party before returning to enjoy the Tết holidays with our family. On this occasion, it was a great honour for us to welcome three special guests: Fr. ManMan from the Philippines; and Trieu and Hoa, who came back to celebrate Tết holidays with their families.
As we are on the 20th anniversary of our presence in Vietnam, with the theme “Experience – Grateful – Confident”, we participated in the Mass with the call to look back on the past year. With gratitude, we thanked God for the blessings, happiness, difficulties, hardships and worries we experienced. We also confidently entrusted this New Year to his care and providence. After the Mass, we had a BBQ. After the meal, we had a performance and expressed our best wishes to one another. Then the most exciting and wanted part was the giving and receiving lucky money, which is called “Lì xì” in Vietnamese. The house was filled with joy and laughter, and everyone felt happy.
As we ended the celebration, Brother Hoàng inspired each member to bring our MSC-ness back to our own family, share our MSC Spirituality during holidays with the people in our hometown, and make Jesus’ Sacred Heart known and loved wherever we go.
