Vietnamese Friars Celebrate 15th Anniversary of Foundation
From Vox Eliae Fall 2011
On Saturday, July 16, 2011, the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Carmelite Friars of Vietnam, part of the Province of Saint Elias, marked the 15th Anniversary of their foundation on July 16, 1996. It was a great day of joy for the Carmelite Friars, the members of Donum Dei who so helped us in the beginning, and the family and friends of Carmel.
The day began with a lecture on Carmelite history led by Father Peter Hoang Nguyen, O.Carm. and continued with a beautiful Mass and luncheon. The Church was filled to capacity and some three hundred people stayed for lunch afterward at L'Eau Vive. In addition to Father Peter, the events were coordinated by Fathers Joseph Trung Tran (Regional Vicar for Vietnam) Joseph Diep Dinh, Stephan Tuu Le, Joseph Thien Nguyen, O.Carm. and all of the professed brothers, candidates, and aspirants of the Order who worked to make the day such a success.
The celebrant of the Mass was Father Mario Esposito, O.Carm., Prior Provincial, and the homilist was Father Stephan Huy Tran, O.Carm., Assistant Provincial. There were representatives from the families of all of our Carmelite brothers, even those stationed in the United States and Europe, as well as priests, men and women religious, and many friends of the community.
As a special feature of the day's program, a beautiful new statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was designed, made and blessed so that every family represented was able to take one with them, and every house in the Province received a statue. Mary has been the guiding light and patroness of Carmel from the beginning and has certainly showed her maternal care for the Carmelites in Vietnam. May the Lord continue to bless our Vietnamese foundation with vocations, faithfulness, safety and zeal!
