Six young men professed vows with the Society of the Divine Word this year. We invite you to get to know them. Today, we introduce Hoang Do SVD.
Name: Hoang Do SVD
Age: 29
Hometown: Can Tho, Vietnam
Languages: English and Vietnamese
Ministry during novitiate: Minister of care at St. Norbert Catholic Church
Favorite book: “Priests for the Third Millennium” by Cardinal Timothy Dolan
Tell us about a time when you felt God’s presence: In solitude, I spent time in silence with God.
When did you first feel the call to be a missionary? I started my discernment when I was in high school. After moving to the United States, I was introduced to the Society of the Divine Word by my father’s friend who lives in Chicago. Father Anthony Nguyen SVD was my recruiter. He shared with me his life-journey as a missionary and gave me a collection of stories of SVD missionaries, which inspired me.
How has living with the SVD brothers and priests at Techny inspired you? There were many SVD members who had worked in other countries. Again, listening to their stories keep inspiring me. When I see all of them at the chapel, I believe that participating in the liturgy is what has given them the grace to be faithful missionary for so long—this is not something new but continues to make a great impression on me.
What was the biggest challenge during this past year? There are so many things I learned about myself from reading books, participating in class discussions, doing reflections, attending the ICN workshops and having interviews with novice directors. The biggest challenge was to get to know myself, accepting who I am, and learning how to be a better version of myself each day.
How did the early experience of novitiate change after the COVID-19 pandemic? For me, time at the novitiate had its ups and downs, joys and despairs, encouragements and trials, but after the Covid-19 pandemic, I especially appreciate the time that we can freely be with each other without any restrictions.
What are your hopes for the coming year? By taking theology courses at Catholic Theological Union (CTU), I hope to be transformed into a minister suitable for today’s life.