5 August 2021
By Tan Nguyen, Seminarian
During these present days, the COVID-19 situation in Australia, as well as in Viet Nam, has given me an opportunity to reflect on my vocation even more deeply. Why priesthood? Why priesthood in Australia?
Aspiring to become a doctor has always been a second dream, another option in life for me, different from priesthood. I’m quite passionate about saving people’s lives, to help cure people from their illnesses, since it gives me so much joy, even to just think about it, it fills my heart with happiness.
I was actually quite ambitious about becoming a doctor, and so I undertook an entrance examination into the best medical university in Sai Gon. However, my result was not good enough, although it was close to what was required to gain entrance to that particular medical university. At the same time as I received my disappointing result, I strongly felt the call of the Lord to the priesthood. I finally recognised that: it would be great for me to become a doctor who is able to cure people’s physical illnesses, but it would be even greater, if I were able to become a doctor for the Lord, namely a priest, since priests are able to cure people’s spiritual sicknesses, and even better, saving people’s souls for eternal life.
That enlightenment and recognition has given me, still up until now a deeper sense of joy and peace. That was the inspiration from the Holy Spirit, that enabled me to obtain my degree as a biology teacher, which was a requirement to enter the seminary in the Diocese of Xuan Loc, Viet Nam. Now, I am here in Australia, in the Seminary of the Good Shepherd studying for the Diocese of Broken Bay,
St John Vianney said that “man has one noble task: that of prayer and love”. Thank you, St John Vianney for giving me a strong conviction for my vocation that I have been choosing to follow, because I do not think there is a better vocation or a more noble task of prayer and love than to be a priest of our Lord Christ Jesus.