Br. Hung Nguyen, MSC
Signs of a Call
- Ages 5-10: I often followed my older brother to the church to stay overnight on days when he served as an altar boy. The parish priest once told my parents that I should enter religious life in the future. On one occasion, I personally heard the priest say this to my parents right in front of Đức Long parish house. I often took the initiative to encourage my neighborhood friends to attend Mass, adoration, or prayer gatherings. A memorable experience related to this simple and unconscious practice was when the parish seminarian (now Father Đỗ Đức Chính of the Xuân Lộc Diocese) publicly praised and encouraged us in front of the church for frequently coming to pray.
- Ages 10-15: The head altar server (now Father Đỗ Đức Hiện of the Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Diocese) spoke with me and invited me to join the altar server group. One of the most memorable questions from that conversation was: “Do you love and think about religious life?” Besides serving at Mass, I also participated in the church choir and other parish activities. A key milestone in discovering religious congregations was when some classmates invited me to join them for weekly Sunday sports, music, and outdoor activities with the Don Bosco Đức Huy community.
- Ages 15-20: A relative from Nam Hòa parish in Tân Bình, Saigon, often said that I would enter religious life one day.
- Ages 20-25: A piano tutor once told me that I would become a priest. A classmate from my music course at the Phú Nhuận Cultural Center once asked, “Are you a religious brother?”
My MSC Call
In mid-2004, while working at the Sheraton Saigon Hotel, I received a phone call from a close friend, who was also the cousin of Sr. Như Lan from the Mân Côi Chí Hòa Congregation. He told me that a religious order from abroad was coming to Vietnam, but he was over the age limit to join. He gave me the contact information of Father Peter Huan (Bác Hai) and suggested that I reach out to him. That was how it all began.
I first met Bác Hai at a discernment retreat held at the Benedictine Sisters’ convent in Thủ Đức. I was unaware that these retreats occurred monthly and did not know when I would meet him again or what the next steps would be. After a period of inactivity, Bác Hai called to ask why I had not attended the retreats. Only then did I realize that there was a regular gathering on the second Sunday of each month. From that point on, I attended regularly.
At the end of 2004, Bác Hai suggested that I apply to join the program. I was surprised, thinking that I needed to discern for at least a year before taking the next step. However, I was open to the idea and decided to discuss my intention with my family. My parents were quite shocked because they had never heard or noticed any clear signs of my vocation before.
Their lack of enthusiasm dampened my spirit. Moreover, the congregation was in its early stages, lacking an established headquarters or reputation as a solid foundation. When Bác Hai visited my family, he arrived on a bicycle, dressed very simply, and was much humbler than the typical priests my parents knew. This made them even more doubtful. My mother suggested that I consider joining the Dominican or Don Bosco orders, which had more stability and structure.
At the same time, my mother shared the story of God’s call to Samuel, perhaps to reassure me. The story made sense to me, so I decided to postpone my application and continue the discernment program. Time passed, and eventually, it was time for candidates to submit their applications for postulancy. This time, I faced even greater hesitation. I had a stable job, a fulfilling life, and everything seemed in place. When I shared my intention to leave my job to join religious life, most of my colleagues and friends did not support my decision.
The material comforts and differing opinions made my decision incredibly difficult. However, after much prayer, two key points stood out to me. The first was the calling in the story of Samuel, which my mother had mentioned earlier. The second was that I was approaching the congregation’s age limit for applicants. These two factors became my motivation, and I finally decided to apply.
After submitting my application, I felt very conflicted. I had applied, but deep down, I hoped to be rejected. I was aware of this contradiction within myself. When I received the acceptance letter from the provincial superior, I felt as if I were drifting in a river or standing at a crossroads. I knew I could still turn back, but I did not have the courage to do so.
The process carried me through the necessary preparations. On the morning I left home to enter the postulancy community, I packed my belongings and brought them to the living room before heading out the door. My father was sitting there. He was a tough, military-type man, but for the first time, I saw tears streaming down his face in silence. The sight stopped me in my tracks, deeply moving me due to my emotional nature. At that moment, a strong inner force urged me forward—if I hesitated, I would not be able to continue. So, I simply said, “I’m going, Dad,” then walked straight out to the yard, got on my vehicle, and headed to the postulancy house—literally leaving my family behind.
After entering postulancy, I continued working at the Sheraton for about two more months to fulfill my employment contract. I had waited for confirmation from the provincial superior before officially resigning. My formation director was displeased because I worked evening shifts and often returned home late, which affected my schedule and formation life. However, this did not feel like a major burden to me. I remained indifferent, unaware of the significance of my formation journey at that time.
On the night of my last day at work, I couldn’t sleep and cried a lot. I buried my face in my pillow to muffle my sobs, so no one would hear. A deep sense of regret overwhelmed me, spilling out in my tears. But after a few days, the structured schedule of the program helped me fully integrate into the new environment. From then on, I followed the program, overcame obstacles, and advanced through the stages:
- Novitiate (2007-2009)
- Temporary Profession (June 20, 2009)
- Scholasticate (2009-2015)
- Perpetual Profession (June 14, 2016)