A Vocational Reflection on Religious Life

September 26, 2022

by John Nguyen

As I begin my last year in Philosophy, I have been taking time to reflect on my life. Without a doubt, I would not have made it this far without your prayers, love, and support. There were times when I would laugh, cry, and pray with Jesus. He has become my best friend ever since I joined formation with the Redemptorists.

Before going to the Come and See, I remember sitting in the chapel and praying to Jesus, and a thought came to my mind, "Do you really love me?" At that time, I was in a relationship, and I knew that I would eventually have to make a choice, whether to stay with my girlfriend or break up with her to really devote myself wholly to Christ.

It was simply a matter of who I loved more, and at that time, I could not really answer that question because I had fallen in love, and was living the life, having almost all the things that I had ever wanted. I even had plans to propose to my girlfriend in a few years. Looking back now, I realize that the younger me was caught up with the façade of worldly things and was ultimately heading down the wrong path.

During the Come and See, I met many young men who were discerning their vocation to the priesthood. In particular, I ran across a young man named Andrew Tran-Chung, who at that time was also at a crossroads in his vocational journey. I instantly started connecting with him because we both had similar backgrounds.

During the Come and See’s Holy Hour, I broke down as my love for Christ grew overwhelmingly in my heart. I realized that I was chasing the wrong things in life and that I really wanted to love Christ wholeheartedly. Since we only live once, I wanted to devote my entire life to Him who loved me first. It is not wrong to work towards making money, getting the spouse of your dream, or trying to “succeed” in life, but my experience taught me that there is more to life than just money, fame or having a beautiful spouse.

As time went by, Andrew also joined the Redemptorists, and he has become one of my best friends. The funny thing is that our families knew each other, and both were devoted Catholics. I'm beyond blessed to have him as one of my best friends because, as seminarians, life can be tough to deal with alone.

We too are just flawed human beings who go through the same emotional struggles as everyone else. I'm blessed to have someone I can laugh with, cry with, pray with, and openly share struggles with. We have similar goals, and we both see Jesus as our best friend. United in faith, I can truly feel the meaning of Christ’s words, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Andrew gave up his Ivy League education and his worldly dreams. And I gave up my comfortable dorm lifestyle. Fame, wealth, and popularity lost its appeal because our love for Christ and serving the poorest of the poor is greater than whatever the world has to offer. Fun fact, Andrew is also my workout partner at the gym.

However, one of my biggest obstacles was also leaving my family and relatives. Family is a crucial part of my life and flying across the country to see them only twice a year was challenging for me. But my love for Jesus and serving Him is greater. My family has always been supportive of my decision, and I know, without a doubt, that they pray for me unceasingly as I continue down this path.

I am blessed to have overcome the challenges of these past few years with the help of many, including Fr. Chung Tran. I would have to say that without Fr. Chung, I do not know if I would have made it this far because he constantly reminds me to go to the chapel and talk to Christ whenever I have a bad day. He is truly a holy priest whom I look up to. When I was stationed in Grand Rapids to do my summer ministry, I vividly remember Fr. Chung working relentlessly. He even skipped dinner a couple of times to meet with couples who were planning to get married in the Catholic Church.

Spending summers in Grand Rapids, St. Louis, and Baton Rouge for ministry has helped me become more confident in spreading the good news and getting to know the diversity of the Congregation. A special thank you to Fr. Charlie for giving me the opportunity to share my stories as well.

With Christ, anything is possible. Please continue to pray for my seminarian brothers and me as we continue to discern our vocation toward the priesthood. May God and Our Mother of Perpetual bestow their graces upon us all!

North American Conference of Redemptorists

Washington, DC

A Vocational Reflection on Religious Life