REDEMPTORIST SPOTLIGHT: Fr. Anthony Viet Nguyen, C.Ss.R.
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October 6, 2021My name is Fr. Anthony Viet Nguyen C.Ss.R. I was born on Nha Trang, Viet Nam. I am the oldest child in my family and have a younger brother who is in college at the moment.
Truthfully, I am not over exaggerating to say that I am truly blessed to be a child of my parents and have many religious relatives, especially my great-grandmother from my dad’s side of the family. My parents are my first teachers, first theologians, first wise-men-- and above all, my first sight of the image of God and His love for me. Their faith, great life examples and vision of life have a deep influence in my being; they are the instruments that God used to shaped who I am today. I thank God every day for this special gift that He endowed upon me. Many call me the “momma’s boy.” I think the title fits in the right way because I was always with my mom when I was a little boy. I was with her when she went to mass almost daily and I was with her at her workplace at the village hospital. I believe that my compassion for other people, particularly for the poor, comes from her.
My dad is a firm man, but he has a compassionate heart. In my eyes, I think he is how a good gentleman and a wonderful dad ought to be. I am not saying that he doesn’t have weaknesses, but his virtues outshine his vices. His compassionate heart touches many people who know and meet him. God has given him the art of communicating and a sharp mind to seek out the need of others. He never holds back on anything if he knows the other person needs help. “God gives much, God will ask much” is his philosophy of life. My dad has told me once, after I walked home with him from Sunday school, “Son, we need to give back to God what we have received from Him.” I asked what he meant by giving back to God. He answered “God has given our family more than we deserve.” He listed God’s many graces for him: peace, loving family, spiritual consolation, jobs, knowledge, and being a Catholic. He continued: “What I mean is that we must give what is achieved through God graces to help the poor, because helping the poor is the same as helping God.”
It is their relationship to God and their neighbors that has implanted in me the seed of vocation to the consecrated life. God is the center of their life and they show this conviction by attended mass almost daily. They also have good and holy habits of saying family night prayers before going to sleep and helping those who are in need. My Great-grandma is also a teacher of theology in my life. She used to put me in the hammock at noon every day and help me to go sleep by singing, telling stories, and reciting poems. Through my grandmother’s love, I learned many things about God at a very young age.
On August 10th, 2001, my family landed in Dallas Texas. I started my sixth grade year at Webb Middle School in Garland, Texas. During my middle school and high school years, I joined many groups at Church: Vietnamese Eucharist Youth, Altar Serving Group, Junior Legio Marie, Youth Choir and Lion Dance.
Being involved with Church activities gave me the chance to know and to learn more about the Redemptorist Congregation. The Fathers and Postulant Brothers helped us with catechism classes and youth group. I got a chance to study under a few brothers and they asked me to go to a Come and See weekend. I went to Come and See five times at the monastery.
After I graduated from high school, I said ‘yes’ to God’s calling. With the permission of Father Long (who was the vocation director at the time) and my parents, I joined the Redemptorist Congregation at St. John Neumann Postulant House in Dallas on August 15, 2018. In my recreational time, I enjoy doing activities together with the community, I also enjoyplaying tennis, basketball, volleyball, football, and fishing.
Throughout my 12 years of formation, I’ve found myself having many chances to work with diverse cultures and peoples. I have gotten to travel many places. After all, we Redemptorist are missionaries. I have also gotten a chance to meet all kinds of wonderful people and make many amazing memories. Some of my assignments in my formation have been hospital chaplain, juvenile detention center chaplain, immersion year in Thailand, Mission in Czech Republic and pastoral experiences in Las Vegas.
Looking back at my vocation journey, I come to acknowledge that all things are God’s grace. The thing I love most about being a Redemptorist, is that we try our best to follow the life of Christ Jesus—our Savior and Redeemer—by preaching the Good News to the poor and the most abandoned.
