NEWLY ORDAINED — Newly ordained Rev. Dung Vu stands with Prince Albert Bishop Albert Thévenot.

New priest sings at his own ordination

By Therese Jelinski

PRINCE ALBERT — While it is not unusual for a newly ordained priest to express thanks at his ordination mass, this diocese’s newest pastor also praised God in song, with family members from Vietnam looking on.

Rev. Dung “D.J.” Vu sang a song of thanksgiving in his mother tongue as six men and women dressed in vibrant colours performed a Vietnamese dance with candles at the May 14 mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Vu, 34, then spoke in English to thank those who welcomed him in his new Canadian life and helped him to fulfil his dream of serving God, including Bishop Emeritus Blaise Morand, who invited him to study for this diocese almost four years ago, and Bishop Albert Thévenot for ordaining him.

Several family members from Vietnam were in attendance, including Vu’s only sister, Thuy Wong, who did the first reading, and his widowed father, Hien Vu, who along with his godmother helped with the investiture of the stole and chasuble. His uncle, Rev. Joseph Triet Nguyen, proclaimed the Gospel and later spoke on behalf of the family.

A lighthearted moment came during the kiss of peace, as the two bishops and 33 priests each stepped forward to embrace the new priest. The congregation broke into laughter when a smiling Rev. Francis Agbezuge, the diocese’s tallest priest, grasped the diminutive Vu in a bear hug and effortlessly lifted him off the floor.

Vu is described by Rev. Greg Elder as a man with an easy smile and a sense of humour. It was at Elder’s parish of St. Vital in Battleford that Vu did his internship during the past year and was ordained to the diaconate Dec. 11.

“His infectious smile, incredible voice, music skills and good humour added so much to the life of our parish,” Elder told the Prairie Messenger. “He loved to be involved with the youth and has a special charism for this very important ministry.”

Vu was born July 8, 1975 in the town of Doc Mo in southern Vietnam, the second youngest in a family of six brothers and one sister. His mother died when he was 17. After high school, he studied music, earned a degree in literature and learned the profession of tailoring.

He came to this diocese in August 2006 after hearing about it from other seminarians. He had been a member of the Salesians for seven years but was interested in coming here “because it would be like becoming a missionary.” He completed theology at Dominican College in Ottawa.

Vu called his impressions of Canada and of the diocese “very positive.”
“I find the people in Canada to be very generous and very open-minded,” he said. “The church in Canada is more liberal than the church in Vietnam and the church attendance in Vietnam is much higher than in Canada.”

In his homily, Thévenot said priests are called to be “a sign and symbol of the presence of Christ in our midst.” He added that Vu, like the Good Shepherd of the day’s readings, has been called to love his flock and to guide them but also “to be who he is and to remain who he is — an expression of God, as each of us are.”

Vu’s first placement will be at the parishes in Albertville, Christopher Lake and Candle Lake, just north of Prince Albert.

The diocese now has two seminarians left: Lasky Agbezuge, who is studying philosophy in Ghana, and German Alegria, originally from El Salvador, who completed philosophy in Ottawa and will begin theology in the fall.