Fr. Joseph Hau Duc Tran: You are a priest forever

Fr. Joseph Hau Duc Tran was born on May 19th, 1934, in French-controlled Vietnam.  He was educated in the French system, and left his native country at 19 years old in 1954 at the end of the war between France and Vietnam.  He spent the next four or so years with the Dominicans in Hong Kong, beginning his philosophy studies there, before being sent to Rome and France to continue his theology studies.
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Fr. Tran studied for his Doctorate in Sacred Theology in Rome, where seminarians were split into three groups — he was among those assigned to the Spanish group.  The Dominicans allowed for his ordination before his studies were finished, and so he was told to arrive at a certain basilica early on a Friday morning for his examinations, which were to be presided over by a cardinal.  His Eminence asked Fr. Tran a number of questions on philosophy and theology, which were to be answered in Latin; there were also a number of personal questions about ecclesiological ideas and languages spoken.  Soon enough, he was told to prepare for his pre-ordination retreat, and to be at St. Peter’s Basilica for July 2nd, 1961.

Fr. Tran says that he could talk at length about the ordination ceremony, about the papal liturgy of the time (which he says is not so different from how it is today), about how crowded the basilica was…  Yet, what impressed him most about the ordination was the morning of, where he and his fellow ordinandi were treated to special audience with St. John XXIII.  Fr. Tran was struck by the saint’s humility and accessibility.  He greeted each candidate personally and shook their hand; he looked very unofficial, as though he were just one priest among many brothers.  The rather rotund St. John XXIII also struck Fr. Tran with his impressive size and the presence that came with it, which seemed to chase away all fears.  Yes, indeed — St. John XXIII was truly “Il Buon Papa”, the Good Pope.

After obtaining his doctorate, Fr. Tran was sent to Manila in the Philippines to teach at the University of Santo Tomas, where he remained for 10 years.  This was followed by two years in France and Rome, and then to Los Angeles, where Cardinal Manning assigned him as assistant at Our Lady of Loretto Parish, and to work with Vietnamese refugees arriving to the United States.  He remained in California for 4 years before joining a cousin who was an associate priest in Illinois.  After his time as chaplain of the St. Francis Medical Centre in Peoria, Fr. Tran came to Canada.  Initially spending four years with Queen of Martyrs Vietnamese Parish in Edmonton, he was invited to Calgary to become administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Bridgeland, and St. Francis of Assisi Parish downtown.

At this time, a number of parishes in the diocese of Calgary were being considered for closure, and Fr. Tran was concerned that his little church on Sixth Avenue was in its last days.  He wrote letters to the planning committee, asking for St. Francis to be kept open.  He invited Bishop Henry to preside over the next set of confirmations, and for a reception to be given.  This was the beginning of a fruitful relationship between Fr. Tran and Bishop Henry — after the reception, Bishop Henry informed Fr. Tran that his parish was not in danger of folding, and he was given the mandate to revive the parish to further serve the needs of the downtown community.  During his 19-year tenure at St. Francis, Fr. Tran advocated for the expansion of his little parish, including lobbying for a floor of The Bow to be given to St. Francis, which was unfortunately defeated, 7 to 6.  Due to his advancing age, Fr. Tran reluctantly retired in 2016, “only beginning to be fully alive”.

In my discussion with this well-travelled and well-seasoned man of God, it becomes apparent that Fr. Tran, like the saint who ordained him, has a very unique view of the Church, and its eternal nature.  “Nobody can say what the Church looks like — it is mysterious and yet human.  I have been a witness of the times, and I have been many places, the Church is changing all the time.  It is like a bouquet of flowers blooming, everlasting roses which are ever new… the Church is alive, impressive with tradition, but yet ever changing, ever new.”  At 88 years of age, Fr. Tran professes that each passing year only increases his loyalty to the Church, which is “something marvellous, something to be loved.”  His advice is that “we should let ourselves be led by our high goals”, and that “there is nothing to be worried about in the Church.”

Fr. Tran’s ordination motto is:  “You are a priest forever” (Psalm 110:4), which seems to have had some significance.  In my conversation with Fr. Tran, his understanding of the Christian life as being destined for eternity is truly a cornerstone.  “If He calls me away tonight, so be it — let His will be done.”  If not, then he will continue to do penance in this world.  But one thing is certain, Fr. Tran gives thanks to God for his sixty years of priesthood, “a marvellous blessing lasting to eternity.”

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Fr. Joseph Hau Duc Tran, OP
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​Ordained:  July 2nd, 1961, St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome by St. John XXIII

Pastoral Placements in the Diocese of Calgary:

• Administrator:  Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Calgary (1996-1997)
• Pastor:  St. Francis of Assisi, Calgary (1997-2016)

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Written by Solomon Ip for Faithfully. Solomon is a born-and-raised Calgarian, who got letters after his name in Lethbridge. He worships at All Saints, Lethbridge; St. John the Evangelist, Calgary; and both the Calgary and Lethbridge chapters of the St. Francis Xavier Chaplaincy. He is an oboist by training, chorister by grace, hobby wordsmith, amateur calligrapher and museum enthusiast.