The Joyous Peal of Bells on the Great Feast

On the morning of April 20, 2026, the skies over Tan Viet Parish radiated a sacred joy as the church bells pealed to celebrate a historic milestone: the parish’s first-ever Mass of Ordination to the Priesthood.

Guided by the psalmist’s humble words, “Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will” (Psalm 40), the community gathered at 9:00 AM at St. Teresa Church. Within this hallowed sanctuary, Most Reverend Antôn Vu Huy Chuong, D.D.—Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Da Lat—conferred the Sacrament of Holy Orders upon Deacon Dominic Pham Dinh Phu, OCD.

The presence of Rev. Reynaldo V. Sotelo, Jr., OCD (Provincial Superior) and Rev. Dominic Vu Ngoc Thu (Parish Priest), alongside a great assembly of clergy and religious, underscored the profound significance of this “fruit” from the Carmelite vineyard. For Tan Viet Parish, seeing a local son become a shepherd is not merely a point of pride, but a testament to a community where the seeds of faith have been nurtured into a bountiful harvest for the Church.