Fr. Minh Dong Nguyen: All is God's Grace

I was born and raised in Vietnam in a very devout, faithful Catholic family. Among my grandparents’ siblings, every household sent at least one child into religious life, whether as a priest or a nun. My parents, too, held that hope for me. At eleven, they sent me to the seminary, trusting I would be ordained young. But history had other plans. For decades after the war, the communist government kept religion under a tight, unyielding grip. Official ordinations ground to a halt. The path I had walked since childhood suddenly led nowhere.
 
In that season of uncertainty, I met Archbishop Joseph Ti-kang of Taipei, who had come to Vietnam searching for vocations. When he offered me a scholarship to study Mandarin in Taiwan, I said yes without a second thought – even though, at the time, I was a successful businessman with a famous store, a workshop, and more than fifty workers.

My ordination in Taiwan - May 26, 2001

In 2000, I left my homeland and arrived at Fu Jen Catholic University to learn a language completely foreign to me: Mandarin. Just over a year later, on May 26, 2001, I was ordained a priest. A long-deferred calling was finally fulfilled. For the next four years, I served in Taipei and Ilan; parish ministry shaped my faith and pastoral heart in ways I could never have anticipated.
 
Then came another closed door. Because of Taiwan's immigration policies regarding foreigners, my future dimmed once more until a providential encounter changed everything. I met Father John Mak, who was visiting Taiwan then. He was on the verge of retiring from Calgary's only Chinese Catholic Church, with no Chinese priest to succeed him. Through him, I was introduced to Bishop Henry, who generously sponsored my work permit for Canada with a visitor visa. What followed was a decade-long pilgrimage of patience: navigating complex applications, meeting rigorous English requirements, and trusting, always trusting. By God's grace, I finally obtained Canadian citizenship.
 
I arrived in Calgary in February 2005, not knowing a single word of Cantonese. But I have learned this: great things happen when we say “YES” to God. When we cooperate with His plan, He equips us for every challenge. I learned Cantonese not from textbooks, but from the parishioners themselves – by immersing myself in their lives, speaking and listening, fumbling and growing. I am no genius. But God has never failed to provide.

Celebrating Mass in Vietnam: Back after 10 years.

My first visit back to my hometown in Vietnam, accompanied by 40 parishioners from OLPH.

Today, I have served as Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church for over twenty years. OLPH is my home now. I never dreamt of this. I never planned to serve the Chinese community in Canada. And yet, here I am. How did this happen? How was any of it possible?
 
Over the years, I learned Mandarin and Cantonese to serve the community. I performed magic tricks just to see the children's eyes light up. I taught myself to mend broken antique clocks and raised funds so the youth could journey to World Youth Day. I sharpened my chef skills to gather two hundred parishioners annually on New Year's Eve, like one big family around the supper table. I got my hands dirty with handyman work, saving the parish every penny I could. I buried myself in secretarial books and accounting ledgers, trimming every extra cost from the parish office. Now, I fully support opening a daycare at OLPH, a place to nurture children with bilingual, Catholic education rooted in compassion and love. Except for Mandarin, I never sat in a single classroom for these skills. They all came, simply and quietly, through God's grace.
 
And what lies ahead? Only God knows.
 
Looking back, I see it clearly now: every step, from Vietnam to Taiwan to Canada, was guided by a hand greater than my own. What began as a search for direction became a journey of trust, surrender, and unexpected provision. The same God who opened doors in Taipei opened them again in Calgary, reminding me that vocation is never a single destination; it is a lifelong pilgrimage. Today, I carry with me the languages I have learned, the communities I have served, and the quiet certainty that great things happen when we say “YES” to God. I am never walking alone.

The Chrism Mass at St. Mary Cathedral (March 30, 2026), with jubilarian priests marking their milestone.

Jubilarian Mass & Dinner (Sep. 14, 2026)

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Stories drawn from an interview by Anne Lam, coordinator of The OLPH Echo Magazine. We thank Solomon Ip for coordinating this jubilarian feature and helping collect stories and materials.​

Photos courtesy of Fr. Minh Doan Nguyen.