It was standing room only at St. Patrick Church in North Little Rock as more than 400 people packed into the pews to witness a historic event for the parish — the diaconate ordination of two Vietnamese seminarians May 21.
The Vietnamese population at St. Patrick Church has grown over the past two decades, and that growth is bearing fruit — especially with the ordinations of seminarians Tuan (pronounced Twan) Do and Joseph Nguyen, both 29.
The Mass was livestreamed on the diocesan YouTube channel so family and friends could join the celebration virtually.
Tuan Do
The youngest of six children, Do first studied English and cultural programs in Denver.
“My parents still live in Vietnam with two of my brothers, and my three sisters are living in Florida, Colorado and Toronto (Canada),” he told Arkansas Catholic. “After completing two years of college in Vietnam, my family sent me to the United States to continue my education. My sister sponsored me to study and live in the U.S. I first studied English and cultural programs in Denver. During this time, I started discerning a call to the priesthood.”
Through social media, Do met Father Tuyen Do, who serves in Barling and introduced him to former vocations director Msgr. Scott Friend, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor, and Father Jack Vu, pastor of St. Patrick Church.
“They welcomed me warmly. I’ve now been in seminary formation for eight years, growing through their support and the grace of God,” Do said.
Do’s family has a strong foundation in the faith.
“Two of my mother’s cousins became priests — one of them was persecuted and died in a communist prison for his faith,” he said. “My mother also spent three years in religious life before she discerned a vocation to marriage.
“Faith was deeply rooted in our family life. I attended Mass regularly and developed a love for the Church at a young age. I first felt the call to the priesthood while in middle school and have continued to follow that call ever since. I hope to be a priest who serves with love and faithfulness, inspired by my family’s example and the Church’s teachings.”
Joseph Nguyen
Born in Vietnam, Nguyen also comes from a devout Catholic family. While his family, including his parents, twin brother, younger brother and a sister belonged to Tam Hoa Parish in the Diocese of Xuan Loc, they currently live in McKinney, Texas, and are parishioners at Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic Parish in Garland.
“My parents, Mr. Phong Van and Mrs. Lan Thi Nguyen, instilled in me a deep love for God from an early age through their prayerful lives and steadfast witness in the faith,” he said.
Nguyen has been discerning a religious vocation since he was young.
“The call to religious life has echoed quietly in my heart since childhood. As an altar server at Tam Hoa Parish, I often felt a deep joy and mysterious attraction each time I served at the altar. I still remember attending vocation classes in the evenings, where priests, seminarians and sisters shared their journeys of religious life — stories that ignited in me a burning desire to live entirely for God,” he said.
As the years passed, he continued to feel a persistent call from God — “a silent yet steadfast invitation.”
“In 2013, after finishing high school, I attended my first retreat with the Redemptorist Congregation. It was a profound experience where I encountered God deeply in prayer, silence and fraternity. I was especially moved by the spirituality of the Congregation — centered on Christ and God’s love, calling people to holiness.
“This spirituality emphasizes compassion, especially for the poor and abandoned, serving them with concrete and intimate love. From then on, community life became the setting for mission, where God’s Word is proclaimed through unity and evangelical zeal. During the three and a half years I spent living with the Congregation, my desire to dedicate my life to God and others grew even stronger. After immigrating to the U.S., I continued to pursue this vocation and applied to join the Diocese of Little Rock.”
He was accepted as a diocesan seminarian in 2018 and began attending St. Patrick Church, where the Vietnamese community worships in Central Arkansas.
During the ordination, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor delivered a homily on love and service — two themes that have been pivotal in the discernment and formation of Do and Nguyen.
“One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about Jesus and his teachings has to do with his commandment on love,” Bishop Taylor said. “You recall that when Jesus was asked, ‘What is the greatest commandment of all?’ We are told that the answer was to love God with all of our heart, mind and soul and our neighbor as ourselves.
“People have two major misconceptions about this teaching of Jesus. First, they act like it was a new teaching. That it was an advance over the religious teaching and understanding that prevailed prior to Jesus. The question was about the greatest commandment in the law … Second, people act like this is the greatest commandment there is. It isn’t. It’s the greatest commandment of them all. … Jesus gives us an even greater commandment. “This is my commandment. Love one another as I have loved you. And how does he love us? By laying down his life for us. As Jesus says, ‘There is no greater love than this — to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’”
Following the homily, Do and Nguyen lay prostrate in front of the altar before being ordained to the temporary diaconate.
The greatest commandment has inspired their ministry so far, and will continue to do so.
“I am very excited and deeply grateful to become a deacon,” Do said. “I know it comes with responsibilities, but I am ready to serve with all my heart. I look forward to proclaiming the Gospel, preaching and assisting with the sacraments. I want to serve with obedience to the bishop and with love for the people I will be assigned to accompany. It is a humbling moment, and I trust in God’s grace to guide me.”
“Being a deacon is not merely a transitional step toward priesthood, but a true mission — reflecting the image of Jesus who came to serve and give his life for all,” Nguyen said. “… I’ve also come to realize that in today’s turbulent world — where people are increasingly losing faith in themselves, in each other and in God — living out the priestly vocation is a powerful witness to God’s faithful and merciful love.
“As a priest, I am not merely working for God but becoming an instrument through which he can be present, heal and walk with his people. I want to be someone who brings Christ to others, especially those who are suffering, lost or forgotten. That is why I’ve chosen the path of priesthood.”
This summer, Do will serve as a deacon at Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro while Nguyen will serve at Christ the King Church in Fort Smith.
