Father Louis Kim Nguyen

I was born on August 25th, 1968. I am the youngest of a fourteen children family. I am happy to have come from a good, pious, well-educated Catholic family. Two of my older brothers are priests in the diocese of Da Nang, the center of Vietnam. My father passed away in 1994 and my mother is now 85 years old. She is living with an older brother and his family.

Because of the war, my family moved many times to many different areas - from North to Center and then to South Vietnam. I entered my first seminary in Viet Nam in 1986, right after graduating from high school. In 1992 my family moved to Sai Gon city and my life changed dramatically. I continued my studies at St. Joseph’s Seminary in the Saigon Archdiocese.

My years in the Vietnamese seminaries were “underground” because of the communist government. The government would not allow us to study in the seminary. The government very much restricts the religious freedom of its citizens. I did complete my seminary education in 1996 and then served in a lot of parishes in the Saigon Archdiocese as a seminarian. I taught Catholic doctrine to the catechumens, to RCIA candidates and to young couples planning to get married. I also worked as an assistant to the Secretariat of the Vietnamese Bishop’s Conference and for many years as an editor. I also took additional educational classes, but everything was done “underground”.

The government allowed me to leave Vietnam because I had a scholarship. What they didn’t know was that I was going to be a priest. I arrived in Canada in 2003 and attended St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario. There I worked on my English, Philosophy and Theology. I completed my education and training in March of 2008. I interned at St. Ann’s Parish, St. Martin’s Parish, and Holy Family Parish all in Regina. During this time, the Most Reverend Daniel Bohan gave me a lot of opportunities to accompany and assist him at Confirmations. This allowed me to meet and visit the people of many parishes in the Archdiocese. It helped me to understand the people, the culture, the Church and her activities in Canada.

On September 14th, 2008 Archbishop Daniel Bohan ordained me to the interim diaconate at Holy Family Parish and I finished my internship at that parish.

Twenty two years after entering the first seminary in Viet Nam and Canada I was ordained a priest on December 8th, 2008; the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, at Holy Rosary Cathedral. My dream became a reality. I want to thank everyone for their love and support.

In the first year of my priesthood I served in many different parishes including Holy Family in Radville and in the Southey area. In March 2010 I moved to St. Joseph’s Parish in Moose Jaw as Associate Pastor.

The love that I have for my vocation, my enthusiasm and my happiness comes from helping the people of God. This inner experience is the greatest gift because I am able to feel what God’s love is all about. This also helps me to grow in my human and spiritual formation.

All is Grace! I often thank God for everything He has done for me, and I also would like to thank the Canadian people for their love and support they have given to me. Thank you all for welcoming and accepting me as a member of the parish family.