I was born in Phu Loc, Vietnam, the first son in a "typical" Catholic family of thirteen children (six boys and seven girls). I grew up in the Southern Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
In 1977, I began to study Vietnamese at the Pedagogical University in Saigon with a goal to become a high school teacher. However, for religious freedom, I along with 94 people escaped from Vietnam in a small fishing boat in September 1979. At that time,
I was nineteen years old. After spending thirteen days in the Pacific Ocean, I arrived in Malaysia and spent almost a year in a refugee camp in Pulau Tengah of Malaysia.
After that, I left Malaysia for the former West Germany in May 1980. I studied German and worked for two years as machine operator before settling in the United States in 1987 where I reunited with my family.
After my priestly ordination on June 19, 1999 and before coming here, my pastoral ministries were:
1999 - 2005: Parochial Vicar at St. Michael Parish, Gainesville.
2005 - 2009: Pastor of St. Mary Parish, Toccoa and St. Catherine Laboure Mission, Commerce.
2009 - 2011: Special Ministry to assist raising funds for retired priests in Vietnam.
2011 - 2013: Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Blairsville.
2013 - 6/2020: Pastor of St. Peter the Rock Parish, The Rock.
Personal facts:
August 2015: A Licensed Barber in Georgia.
2007-2011: President of the Federation of the Vietnamese Catholics in USA.
Hobbies: Fishing, reading, gardening, golfing, haircutting.
In 1977, I began to study Vietnamese at the Pedagogical University in Saigon with a goal to become a high school teacher. However, for religious freedom, I along with 94 people escaped from Vietnam in a small fishing boat in September 1979. At that time,
I was nineteen years old. After spending thirteen days in the Pacific Ocean, I arrived in Malaysia and spent almost a year in a refugee camp in Pulau Tengah of Malaysia.
After that, I left Malaysia for the former West Germany in May 1980. I studied German and worked for two years as machine operator before settling in the United States in 1987 where I reunited with my family.
After my priestly ordination on June 19, 1999 and before coming here, my pastoral ministries were:
1999 - 2005: Parochial Vicar at St. Michael Parish, Gainesville.
2005 - 2009: Pastor of St. Mary Parish, Toccoa and St. Catherine Laboure Mission, Commerce.
2009 - 2011: Special Ministry to assist raising funds for retired priests in Vietnam.
2011 - 2013: Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Blairsville.
2013 - 6/2020: Pastor of St. Peter the Rock Parish, The Rock.
Personal facts:
August 2015: A Licensed Barber in Georgia.
2007-2011: President of the Federation of the Vietnamese Catholics in USA.
Hobbies: Fishing, reading, gardening, golfing, haircutting.