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An adventure with the Lord

10/6/2020

20 Comments

 
​I was born and grew up in Vietnam during the war. My father died and left six children to the care of my mother when I was one year old. War and poverty made life very difficult for everyone. The suffering of people forced me to reflect on what life was all about. I found the answer in the Good News of Christ, and that made me pursue the priesthood. During my training, the war ended and the communists took over the country. My fellow seminarians and I did our best to finish the training, mostly underground. When I finished my studies, I thought I would be a priest and would serve the people in my country. At that time, the communist government had the final word for any priestly ordination. Every year with permission from my bishop, I sent a request to the government, but the authority kept saying “no” to my ordination without an explanation. Six years later, I planned to escape the country by boat.  

Someone at the coast arranged and prepared for the trip. It was in March 1989. It took me two days on a canoe along the rivers to reach the ocean. I got on a little boat no longer than 20 feet, with 14 other people. They left at midnight without any troubles. Just about eight o’clock in the morning, the government boats appeared from nowhere and the guards began to shoot at our boat. Our boat got hit, but the people were okay, as we would rather have died than to let ourselves fall into the hands of the guards. When the strong wind and big waves approached them, the guards feared for their lives so they stopped chasing them. I continued my journey and realized it was God who protected me and my companions. I crossed the ocean and landed in Malaysia on the seventh day.

I arrived at a refugee camp called Pulau Bidong. There were over 15,000 people in that camp.  Life was not ideal, but safe. It was a matter of time that I would be in a free country. A Canadian delegation came, and thought that I would be a good candidate for Canada. 

February 5, 1990 was the day I put my foot on the free land of Canada, and it was the first time I ever saw and touched snow. I continued to enjoy life and freedom around Toronto and Mississauga. For a while I forgot the reason why I escaped, but God didn’t forget me. My priest friend and the Bishop of Calgary invited me to return to training again. I left everything and took a bus to Calgary. The Bishop sent me to study in Christ the King Seminary in Mission, BC. After a year, I went back to Calgary with distress, as I could not speak the language. I planned to quit, but I met with a missionary priest who worked in Vietnam for 40 years until the communists kicked him out. This changed my life. The priest said, “The war couldn’t kill you, the poverty couldn’t, the communists couldn’t, the ocean couldn’t, and the refugee camp couldn’t, so English, I assure you, cannot kill you either. Be patient if God calls you, he will give you an ability to master the language.”

I then spent the next three years at St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton and loved following the Lord. It took 26 years between my first day in a seminary and my priestly ordination (1969-1995). I felt like I was a slow learner! But for me, a priest is a man of joy, a man for others, and a man of prayer.  

Yes, dear people of God, have you ever had a thorough reflection on the life of a priest? If you do, or even if you do not, thank God for the priesthood and pray for your priests daily. With such actualities, with such a challenging future, the Eucharist is still a thanksgiving and a source of strength on a priestly journey. I cry out daily with fresh accents as the French priest Jean Baptiste Lacordaire did, “Yes, my God, yes indeed, what a life!”

Written by Fr. Philip Le
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Fr. Philip Le
Fr. Phililp was born in July 1956 in Hiep Hoa – Long An, Vietnam and came to Canada in_1990.  He was ordained to the priesthood on August 4, 1995 in  Calgary. His first assignment in Calgary was as assistant pastor at St. Mary’s Cathedral (1995-1997). He then moved on to St. Mary’s in Medicine Hat, which was later where he again served as assistant pastor (1997-1999).  Father Le also spent a year in Assumption Catholic Church in Hay River, Mackenzie-Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories (1999-2000). He was also pastor at St. Francis de Sales, in High River (2000 -_2010) and was the administrator of Holy Family in Medicine Hat (2010), where he also became the pastor (2011).  From 2011 to 2018, Fr. Le was at Holy Family, Medicine Hat. He currently serves the parishes of Christ the King, Claresholm, St. Cecilia’s Church, Nanton, and St. Mary’s Church, Champion as pastor.  
20 Comments
Elizabeth Ann Schott
10/22/2020 12:09:35 pm

Congratulations Father - your story made me cry. May God's special blessings continue to be yours today and always.

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May Faichuk
10/23/2020 11:42:41 am

Your story is very touching and most of all an inspiration to everyone! We miss you here in Medicine Hat.

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Philip Le
10/27/2020 08:53:45 am

Thanks, May. I miss your family. Praise the Lord

George O'Neill
10/22/2020 03:27:16 pm

Wow! You really have had quite an adventure! We were very fortunate to have you in high River.

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Philip Le
10/27/2020 08:56:32 am

Thanks George. I owe you a visit, but the covid..... Praise the Lord

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Gerry Carter
10/22/2020 08:46:30 pm

I worked along side of Father Philip providing pastoral care at the hospital in Medicine Hat. He always came when I called him to support And pray for the sick, the dying, or baptize a stillborn baby late in the night. He served the entire community with humility and holiness. His legacy is a great one and I will continue to pray for him, as he did me, when he was called to give me the Anointing of the Sick last year. Father, you are a blessing to all who know you and God surely has a special place for you in Heaven.

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Philip Le
10/27/2020 08:57:30 am

Thanks Gerry. How are you doing? Praise the Lord

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Shelly MacPhail
10/23/2020 04:18:24 pm

Father Philip, I knew most of your story & always admired your strength. I miss seeing your smiling face at Holy Family Parish and keep you in my prayers. May God continue to bless you. 🙏🏼💕🙏🏼 😊
Shelly MacPhail

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Philip Le
10/27/2020 08:59:29 am

Thanks Shelly. Great to know you and the people in Medicine Hat.

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Joyce Carlson
10/23/2020 08:13:53 pm

Hello Father Phillip. Loved your story when you told my RCIA class at Holy Family Parrish It made me appreciate your time spent at Holy Family
You certainly had to fight to give your life to God.
We miss you so much. Hoping you ate well

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Philip Le
10/27/2020 09:01:41 am

Thank you, Joyce. Great to be with the loving people in Medicine Hat.

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Laurie
10/25/2020 11:50:11 am

Thank you Father Phillip for your fidelity, courage, and steadfastness for your priestly vocation! Your successful escape by boat reminded me of Mark 4:37-41. Thanks be to God for that missionary priest who encouraged you to persevere in your priestly studies!! One of our assistant pastors in my home parish was Vietnamese. He, too, was a Vietnamese refugee and struggled at times with his English. We 100% welcomed him into our parish, especially because all of us understood the parish demands placed on our pastor and we were all so grateful to be afforded another priestly vocation to love and nurture in our parish. Even though I was still a college student myself, our pastor asked me to help Fr. James with his English and so once a week I'd go to the parish offices and we'd go over the English lessons. But mainly Father James enjoyed sharing his faith and telling me about his family and growing up back in Vietnam. Knowing a priest like Father James - faithful, fervent and obedient - is one of the main reasons I have such a great love for our priests and priestly vocations. Without a doubt I know you are a great gift to your parish!!

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Philip Le
10/27/2020 09:04:23 am

Thanks, Laurie. The gifts of God carry us through. Praise the Lord!

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Fr. Matthew Emmelkamp
10/25/2020 10:40:59 pm

I thank God that I was placed with you as my pastor for my first year years as a priest I will never forget those years serving alongside you for the parish you've taught me much about how to serve God's people through the priesthood thank you

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Philip Le
10/27/2020 09:06:38 am

Thanks, Fr. Matthew. Great joy to serve with you and see you love God's people. Praise the Lord!

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Marcia Muldoon
10/28/2020 04:13:10 pm

Your story is so inspirational, Father Philip, and your ministry is such a joy-filled gift!!

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Connie
10/29/2020 09:24:15 pm

You are a gift to our parish. You have touched the lives of so many people. Your ability to spread joy, love, and kindness even thru the toughest times is a true blessing. I am very thankful you are a member of our community. Congratulations on 25 years.

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tony bonagofsky
12/27/2020 10:07:38 am

i golf with you for 4years you were a great golfer and you were there to anoint me thanks father philip tony

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Vicky Cairney
2/2/2023 06:11:17 am

I came across this site recently, although I knew some of your past, it still brought me to tears. We are so thankful to have had the pure joy of having you as our priest at Christ the King. Yes indeed, you are truly a man of God! May God continue to watch over you in your priestly duties!

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Mike and Lyne Patchell
2/2/2023 09:01:05 am

Father Phillips, Was the first one that care about Us..Mike and I Him miss everyday May God keep Him save.

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