September 19, 2008     Volume 5, Number 28

 

 

Father Happiness   New Beginnings   Homily

  Notices
 


For a printable PDF, click here

Father Happiness

(Story by Robin Hill - reprinted with permission from Labrador Life, Vol. 2 No. 2 Spring 2008)

“When I first met Father Hanh, he was very quiet and shy,” says Father Chris Rushton, who serves parishes in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Sheshatshiu.  “Now you can’t shut him up.”

The priest, who traces his ancestry to an 18th  Century Vietnamese Christian who was martyred by a Buddhist king, has himself been a victim of terrible circumstances.

“In Vietnamese, ‘Hanh’ means happiness, so I’m Father Happiness,” he says and then adds with laughter: “Some would say Father Pain.”

What follows is Father Hanh Van Tran’s story as told to Robin Hill.

The year we escaped from Vietnam, there had been a famine.  It got so bad that women suspected of hiding rice would be strip searched. 

Late one night, one of my remaining brothers brought his fishing boat into shore.  Only a few relatives and close friends saw us shove off with fifty others in a boat built for thirty.  They didn’t tell me what was happening because I was only ten.  If someone had learned our secret, we would all have been thrown in jail and had our house seized.  Back then, most trying to escape were spotted (and all on board shot) before making it offshore.  Luckily, my brother steered us safely into open water.

It was hot.  We were under cover below deck, with no fresh air.  My skin soon got clammy from the salt water splashing in over the sides.  By the third day, all our food and water were gone.  It wasn’t until then that I realized we weren’t just on another family outing.  That day, pirates chased and boarded our boat, stealing all our valuables. 

With only a small compass to guide us, we hoped to reach land by the fifth day, but none came in sight.  On the seventh day, we met a storm.  Our boat was dwarfed by the waves.  My brother said he was afraid we were going to die.  We all prayed – even the Buddhists.  Finally, on the eighth day, the rain came.  And we were so happy!  Later that same day we finally saw an oil tanker.

We were all so thin from hunger we had to be carried on board on stretchers.  We were not allowed any solid food for two or three days.  After we had recovered, we were taken to one of the isolated Malaysian islands used for refugees.

Our new home was a tent made of plastic sheeting.  We slept on the floor with somebody keeping watch for the rats as big as cats that, given the chance, would bite your toes and suck the blood.  There were thousands of them.  The United Nations, who ran the camp, would give us just enough food to eat.  We had to walk a mile to get fresh water and even further to use the toilets.  Strong winds would blow coconuts or even the towering trees themselves down on the tents.  People died this way.

We were lucky.  We were only there for one year.  Many countries, including the U.S., Australia and Germany interviewed refugees at the camp.  I remember my family was overjoyed when we were told we were coming to Canada.  We flew to Vancouver, Montreal, and finally Kapuskasing in northern Ontario.

 
Looking out the window, I thought: “What a beautiful country! Why does this country look like ice cream? How come there’s so much ice cream?”

I had never seen snow, faucets with hot and cold running water, flush toilets, cars or even white people.  We didn’t know how to use knives and forks.  We had to learn how to eat by watching others.  We felt like we had come to another planet.  And it was so cold.  We had come from temperatures like 35 above, and now they told us it was 35 below.  We had no clue what that meant.

My brother and I decided to sneak outside for a walk.  Wearing only light clothes, we soon were too numb to move.  We had no idea what was happening to us.  The policeman who found us said words that I remember: “very cold”, dangerous” and then “death”.  I thought to myself: “Oh, my God!”

I didn’t realize the cold could kill me.  The only thing I associated with cold was ice cream.  My ear was so frozen that it still bothers me today.

I had three months to learn English before starting school.  It took me a couple of years to be able to get by.  Other students at school called us “Chink” and picked on us.  (Even years later while a college student; I was called “yellow skin” and beaten up because I was Asian.)  We were new to this culture and there were no others like us around.  We all felt so lonely.  I cried a lot for the first few years, and longed for home.  At the same time, I would wake up screaming and sweating in the middle of the night from nightmares about our escape.

Today, life is so different.

I studied to become a counselor in Peterborough.  With a good job and a beautiful girlfriend, I had no thought of becoming a priest.  I always said, “Life is so dull as a priest.  You can’t party.”
Then I visited my father and sister in Vietnam.  They were the only ones left.  Seven of my brothers had made it to Canada.  My remaining sister in Vietnam has one child, lives with her in-laws, and earns about $2 a day.  An uncle lives with his family in a house the size of a small shed.  They worry about food every day.

I went to see my mother’s grave.  She had died of a broken heart.

I asked her, “Mom, what should I do?  I’ve been blessed so many times.  What should I do?  Should I do something useful for the community?”

When I came back to Canada, I wanted to work with UNICEF, the United Nations.  But I began to study Philosophy and became attracted to the religious life.  My girlfriend and I were in love and planned to marry.  I told her that I was seriously thinking about the priesthood.  Not surprisingly, she didn’t like the idea, but my brothers supported me.  I thought if I didn’t try, I would never have the chance again.

In Ottawa, I earned a degree and then later in Edmonton earned my Master’s in Divinity.  I spent a year of preparation in Illinois before becoming a priest.  Before I took my vows, I had a drink with some of my friends.  They told me I had always enjoyed having friends and being very active and would never make it as a priest.  We laugh about that now. 

I was attracted to the missionary work of the Oblates speaking with Father Chris Rushton and Bishop Douglas Crosby in Ottawa.  The people of Labrador are hospitable, friendly and accepted me easily in their community.

What do I think about Labrador?  Well, the land is humongous.   It’s also very rich in many material ways.  This is the first world.  Vietnam is the third world.  Our problem was politics and getting enough food to stay alive.  Perhaps because we were persecuted there, our faith is active, strong and vibrant, even though there is no religious freedom.

But I’m very blessed.  I’m a faithful person.  When I deal with tragedy I turn with faith to God.  Whenever I have the opportunity to celebrate mass, I always thank the people of Canada who gave me a second chance when I had nothing.  I’m very content with my vocation and work in Labrador, but I’m still very much an exile.  Vietnam has been ravaged by so many wars.  I would love to go back and help to build and educate – if not in a free Vietnam, then in some other part of Southeast Asia.  That’s why I became a priest.  I want to share the blessing I’ve received.  They don’t belong to me alone, they belong to everybody.  You have to pass them on. 

That’s my hope. 

That’s my dream.

New Beginnings
(Submitted by Harley Mapes, OMI)

In his role as the member of the Leadership Team holding the portfolio of Formation, Tony O’Dell, OMI presided at the ceremony, which began with a welcome being extended to all present and continued with a proclamation of the Gospel taken from Luke 4: 16-21 containing the Oblate motto: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.”

Following Tony’s reflection, Andre Boyer, OMI – Provincial of OMI Lacombe Canada – read the decree from Father General Wilhelm Steckling, OMI announcing that in a regular session of the General Council Jack Herklotz, OMI was appointed as the Superior of St. Charles Scholasticate. Afterwards followed the installation of Ken Thorson, OMI as Vocation Director and Harley Mapes, OMI as the Director of the Pre-Novitiate. Carol Kuzmochka, was welcomed as a member of the OMI Lacombe Formation Team. Finally, David MacPhee, OMI and Derek Birmingham were welcomed to the formation program – David, who recently completed his novitiate, as a scholastic and Derek as a pre-novice.

The Formation Community would like to thank both those who were able to attend and those who, through phone calls and emails, assured us of their support and prayers. The evident interest in the formation program demonstrated by the members of OMI Lacombe is an encouragement to staff and students and augers well for the fruitfulness of the ministry of our newly appointed vocation director.

(For more photographs, click here)

Homily
(Submitted by Tony O’Dell, OMI)

When the formation staff asked me to share a few words of reflection at this celebration, I asked for direction on the ‘words of wisdom’ they wanted, I could, after all, talk about the goals and principles of formation, the instructions of the Constitution and Rules, the many documents and studies of the General Chapters - the only instruction they, the formation team gave me, was to keep it short!!! We all are in agreement – the other is for another day - another time.

I know most of you here today, for those who don’t know me... My name is Tony O’Dell, I currently reside and minister in Labrador West. I am the son of a fisherman from the Labrador coast. When preparing for this celebration the image that kept coming to mind was that of casting out the net or re-casting of the net. (You can take the man out of the boat but you can’t the boat out of the man.) For that to happen a fisherman/woman knows there are certain tools of the trade that are needed; a boat to begin with, a net and a crew. Today this formation house is our new boat, the crew are our formators whom we will shortly pray our blessings upon as they begin their new ministry; the net is the call – the invitation which proclaims we are filled with hope at this new beginning as we dream a new future of vocations within our Oblate community.

It is certainly good to be here with you this afternoon! I am impressed to see such a good turn out on this warm Sunday afternoon because any organization that does not make the time, place and space to bring in new members is in effect finished. Your presence here today testifies to the fact that while we are in diminishment, we have not closed the doors and turned off the lights.

This is a special, significant moment in the life of our province. I am reminded of our first convocation in Calgary – the theme was; “Out of the Ashes We Rise”! We know that for ashes to rise, it takes the breath of the Spirit. Our scripture reading, chosen for this celebration, is indeed an Oblate classic, (Luke 4:16ff) it reads: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.” At the beginning of Lacombe in 2003, we had inherited a Formation House – St Charles Scholasticate – but because we had no candidates it was suspended.

Today is a new day, today marks a new beginning for us as a province – today we gather because we DO have candidates! First of all, we have David McPhee, who has just completed his Novitiate and is our newest Scholastic. David is the first candidate to begin his studies for OMI Lacombe Canada Province.

We are delighted that Derek Birmingham is here. He is discerning his call within our province and congregation and so we are privileged that he has chosen to spend this time with us. We pray with him and for him that this period of discernment will be fruitful and life-giving in his journey of faith.

It is our responsibility to provide David and Derek with all the tools that they need to discern well.

To fulfill this solemn obligation we have chosen three of our best: Jack Herklotz, Harley Mapes and Ken Thorson. And the scriptures continue: “He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and

We have also have a laywoman, Carol, as part our formation team – Carol brings grace, wisdom, insight and holiness.  In the founding documentation of Lacombe, one of the founding principles we read is that “we actively promote participation of women and men who share the charism and mission of St. Eugene de Mazenod.” The mission of Lacombe Province then invites us to use a team approach, to collaboration with laity and other religious communities, to formation of lay leaders who will serve the needs of others, to become a part of the lives of those whom we minister. And so, Carol, we are happy and blessed to have you as part of the Lacombe formation team.

I should also mention Ken Thorson – who has graciously accepted to be the first Vocation Director of Lacombe Province. It will be his job to cast out the net! In these early days, there are already signs of hope, signs of interest – we as a Province pray blessings on you and your ministry Ken. Of course, we know that vocations is every members responsibility – and I know that Ken will remind us of that often – may we be courageous enough to respond to the call! I heard somewhere recently that the new definition of an optimist is a vocation director with a cell phone! Well, my

The establishment of this formation house is indeed a significant moment in the life of our province. In many of our leadership meetings we often speak to the fact of diminishment – today we have gathered here because of our future. We are diminishing but there is still a place for hope and new life. Today we can speak of tomorrow rather than yesterday – for out of the ashes we rise by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

I want to conclude by offering a gracious thank you to the Ontario Leadership Team and Community for helping the formation house become a reality. Lacombe province thanks you! And the scriptures continue: “... he rolled up the scroll, gave it to the attendant and sat down.”


Notices:

Obediences

• Louis Fournier, OMI assigned to Coral Harbour, NU, effective 
February 1, 2008
• Denis Bourbonnais, OMI assigned to Residence Despins, Winnipeg,  MB, effective August 1, 2008
• Susai Jesu, OMI assigned to the ministry of language and culture appropriation and dominical services, Pelican Narrows, SK, effective August 1, 2008
• Edward McSheffrey, OMI assigned to Brother Anthony Local Community, effective August 1, 2008
• Raymond Lemay, OMI assigned to residency at Mazenod Residence, Saskatoon, SK, effective September 1, 2008

Invitation

• The Ontario Local Community invites you to join them for their fall retreat:
• Dates: October 5th (4:15 pm) to October 9th (noon)
• Place: Galilee Centre, Arnprior
• Animator: Father Maurice Lange, OMI
• More details to follow next week