Deacon Hung Le-Configuration 4

I am from a big farmer family in north Vietnam. My parents have ten children, I am the eighth. I have three older brothers, four older sisters (two of my sisters have passed away), two younger brothers. I grew up with a peaceful childhood in a Catholic family. My parents were very active members and leaders of the church in my village, so they raised their children in the way of their beliefs and according to what they thought was right therefore I grew up with a rich spiritual life. I went to the church in my village often with my parents and brothers, sister, usually in the evenings throughout the week to say a rosary or do Adoration. On the weekend, my parents brought us to the parish church to attend the Sunday Mass. As a part of my family tradition, on every big feast day in the liturgical calendar, my family had a party that helped us to rejoice and unite with the church. Raising us with these practices, my faith in God and the Catholic church gradually and naturally developed. In addition, the people in my village were all Catholic, and interestingly my home was in fact right next to the church. The yard of the church was the place where I hung out with my friends and that was also where I came to worship God and pray, so this is how the Church and the Catholic faith have become something very natural to me and became one of the most important parts of my childhood.

Where and when did your sense of call develop?
When I was in eighth grade, the pastor of my parish encouraged me to become a priest. Before that, when he baptized me, he told my parents that “this boy will become a priest”.
 
Were you invited by others to enter the seminary?
Entering seminary is a part of my discernment process.
 
What was your main motivation in pursuing your call?
My dad was the leader of my village church. For almost 30 years, he has done so many things to build the church and the Catholic community in my village. I observed and in some ways I contributed to that process. These things with my dream about spreading the Gospel were my motivations in pursuing the priesthood.
 
Who were/are your biggest influencers?
The priest who baptized me since he worked hard to take care of the Catholic community in my homeland with about twenty thousand believers in thirty-five years.
 
What is a typical day in seminary like?
I go to the chapel to pray in the morning about 30 minutes before morning prayer and Mass. After that, I have morning class or study myself. During the “free time” I often go to the chapel to pray two or three times and have lunch before the afternoon class. I do Adoration, divine chaplet, and rosary in about one hour before evening prayer and have supper with my seminarian brothers and formators. Playing some games after supper, doing homework for tomorrow's class, and going to bed after saying night prayer.
 
What advice would you have for men considering the seminary?
I think they should have a spiritual director to talk, share, and be guided.