Fr Truong Le SVD cares for three rural parishes in different villages of the Isan region of northeastern Thailand – All Saints Church in Ban Muang, The Epiphany Church in Ban Chad, and St Lucia in Namphong.
And while each of those communities in Khon Kaen Province are small and located in an area known as being the poorest region in the country, Fr Truong says the friendship and support from locals, both Catholics and Buddhists alike, and an enduring love for the Eucharist, form the foundations of his parish ministry.
Queensland’s five Catholic bishops visited Palm Island recently, spending time with parishioners, school students, staff and religious, while prayerfully acknowledging both the troubled history of the island for Indigenous peoples as well as the hope that is alive there today.
Parish Priest Fr Manh Le SVD said the visit was an occasion for what he has termed an “Indigenous conversion” of heart for the bishops.
Multicultural Sunday celebrations in SVD communities in Sydney and Brisbane have brought together a diverse range of groups, showcasing their cultural heritage, while celebrating the gift of unity in faith.
At the SVD’s provincial headquarters at Marsfield in Sydney, the annual Multicultural Sunday event attracted big crowds, despite the threat of inclement weather, with SVD parishes from Macquarie Fields and Ingleburn in the Wollongong Diocese joining in the festivities.
It has been a time of celebration at St Mark’s Catholic Parish in Inala, Brisbane, with Fr Bosco Son SVD being installed as parish priest and Fathers Joseph Vu SVD and Linh Nguyen SVD marking significant jubilees.
Fr Bosco was installed as parish priest this month by Brisbane Archbishop Shane Mackinlay in a Mass which also incorporated Multicultural Sunday.
In my parish, I often meet people who remind me of those I knew during my diaconate training in Noble Park and Keysborough.
One day, I was reading my Facebook page as I always do at certain times of the day and I saw this beautiful quote, “God doesn’t say NO to our prayers. God has three answers, either he says, 'Yes, at a later time,' or 'I have a better idea'.
How did you encounter Christ? This was a common question when I was a seminarian when we were asked about our vocation story.
On National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday, earlier this month, Broome Bishop Tim Norton SVD reflected on the Gospel passage, ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.' (Matthew 11:28).
The context of the Gospel is Jesus is correcting people’s understanding of who he is and what his ministry is about. In the verses before today’s reading, the disciples of John asked him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we wait for another?” Jesus responds by showing that, in a changing world, the best way to bring about change is through acts of mercy—one act at a time.
The Holy Redeemer Church in Buengkan Province, Thailand is both a place of prayer and Eucharistic worship and a centre of compassionate outreach for those in need.
Parish Priest Fr Pham Dinh Tuan SVD, who recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of his priesthood, is close to his parishioners, most of whom live a rural subsistence farming lifestyle.
Staff and students at the SVD’s formation house, Dorish Maru College in Melbourne, have farewelled secretary Vicky Cheung, whose presence extended beyond her professional duties to encompass the roles of mentor, friend and mother-figure.
Vicky retired this month after 17 years in the job and her deep contribution to the lives of many young missionaries-in-training was honoured at an emotional farewell function.
