Between 25 June and 1 July 2026, the Redemptorist Province of Vietnam celebrated three consecutive milestones of religious life — the first profession of 10 novices, the priestly ordination of 9 confreres, and the perpetual profession of 12 brothers — a week the Province is calling a season of abundant grace.
Within the span of seven days, the Redemptorist Province of Vietnam (C.Ss.R.) marked three major moments in the life of its members, drawing together confreres, families, benefactors and the faithful in a series of joy-filled celebrations across Huế and Saigon.
First Profession — Huế, 25 June
The celebrations opened on Thursday, 25 June, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Huế, where ten young religious made their first profession after a year of formation in the novitiate. The Mass was presided over by Fr. Đaminh Nguyễn Đức Thông, Provincial Superior of the Vietnam Province, in the presence of confreres, religious, benefactors, relatives and a large gathering of the faithful.
Through their profession of the three evangelical counsels — chastity, poverty and obedience — the ten newly professed committed themselves more deeply to consecrated life, belonging fully to Christ in the service of the Church and the Redemptorist mission of preaching the Gospel, especially to the poor and most abandoned.
In his homily, based on the Gospel of the Rich Young Man (Mk 10:17–21), Fr. Thông reflected on the nature of consecrated life: the deep longing for eternal life that underlies every vocation, the readiness to leave behind whatever hinders full discipleship, and the call to place one’s gifts generously at the service of others, in keeping with the Redemptorist charism. He concluded by describing religious life as an ongoing effort to reflect, in one’s own life, the way of being and serving of Jesus Christ.
At the end of Mass, Fr. Thông thanked, on behalf of the Province, all who had accompanied the ten in prayer and formation. A newly professed brother, speaking on behalf of his companions, expressed gratitude to God and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, as well as to the Provincial Superior, formators and all who had supported them along their vocational journey, asking the community’s continued prayers for their fidelity to religious life and mission.
Priestly Ordination — Saigon, 30 June
Five days later, on Tuesday, 30 June, the joy continued at the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Saigon, where Bishop Gioan Baotixita Nguyễn Huy Bắc of the Diocese of Ban Mê Thuột ordained nine Redemptorist religious to the priesthood. Concelebrating the Mass was Bishop Antôn Hoàng Hữu Thư of the Diocese of Vientiane, Laos, together with numerous priests, superiors, godfathers of ordination, pastors and religious men and women.
The nine newly ordained expressed their joy in recognizing themselves as weak and fragile, yet chosen and loved by God to become priests within the Redemptorist Congregation. Their ordination was celebrated as a grace shared by the whole Province, as well as by their parents, relatives, benefactors, friends and the lay faithful present.
The community entrusted the new priests to Christ the Redeemer, asking, through the intercession of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Alphonsus and the saints of the Congregation, that they may live their priesthood in generous commitment to the Kingdom of God and to the poor, the abandoned and the forsaken.
Perpetual Profession — Saigon, 1 July
The week of grace drew to a close on Wednesday, 1 July, when twelve brothers made their perpetual profession, once again at the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Saigon. The 8:30 a.m. Mass was presided over by Fr. Đaminh Nguyễn Đức Thông, joined by a large number of concelebrating priests.
The joy of the occasion was shared not only by the twelve newly professed but also by their parents, godfathers, pastors, relatives and friends who gathered to celebrate with them.
The Mass became, at the same time, an occasion for the whole Province to give thanks for the entire week: the first profession of ten brothers on 25 June, the priestly ordination of nine confreres on 30 June, and the perpetual profession of twelve brothers on 1 July. The community entrusted all of them to the Redeemer, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Alphonsus and the saints of the Congregation, asking that they continue to watch over, protect and guide the Redemptorist family in Vietnam.
An article based on information from the Facebook page of the Redemptorist Province in Vietnam.
