Post Novitiate Seminarian - Long Le, SVD

My SVD Story
Interviewer: Michael Nguyen SVD

Michael Nguyen: G’day, mate! Would you please introduce yourself to our webpage’s reader, for example, your name, country of origin, and how far is your study with the Society?

Long-Phi: Hello the reader of Dorish Maru College webpage! I am Le, Phi-Long. Vietnam is my homeland.  

Michael Nguyen: Well, I guess it will not be too difficult for you to share with our reader the motivation that brought you to the religious missionary life with the Society of Divine Word… Am I right?

Long-Phi: Well, let see, in 2002 through introducing of a priest, I joined the Society of Divine Word in Nha Trang, Vietnam. At that time, I was quite young and new to the society, so I did not know much about SVD and its charism. But I can say that the more I studied with the SVDs in Vietnam, the more I fell in love with SVD’s mission charism.   

Michael Nguyen: Long-Phi, you can see our Dorish Maru College is very diverse. Indeed the SVD residents of the Seminary come from different nationalities, Ireland, Vietnam, Fuji, Indonesia, Italy, the US, ect… What is your impression of living in such a diverse environment?

Long-Phi: I left Vietnam in 2008 to join Australian Province. The first time, everything was very hard for me, a new kid on the block, for example, language, culture, food and new people. Gradually, I find out that living in a multicultural evironment such as Dorish Maru College that virtually helps me to become more mature and to enrich with a lot of missionary experiences.

Michael Nguyen: Well, let say, tomorrow you will profess Perpetual Vows and then be sent to a foreign land for your missionary work, what country or what culture you would like to set your foot to? Why this culture?

Long-Phi: Well, it is a big question for me to answer. But, if you ask what is the most important thing to me at this moment, I can say, “Nothing else but my SVD missionary call.” I am not sure where I can execute my mission, I know, only, to open my heart and listening God’s Call and saying to God: “Lord, Here I am”.

Michael Nguyen: Long-Phi, thanks for your sharing. Before we end the interview, do you have anything else that you’d like to share with our reader, especial the guys who’d like to follow your SVD missionary footstep?

Long-Phi: Michael, thanks a lot for letting me have opportunities to share my SVD life with our reader. May God be with you always.