Saint Damian's Parish in Bundoora

Dear parishioners,

I would like to take this opportunity to day “hello” to you as I have just started my pastoral formation at St Damian’s this year. My Vietnamese name is Dong Chau Tran and my Christian name is Joseph. I am fourth year student from Corpus Christi College in Carlton, studying for Archdiocese of Hanoi. I was born in 1982 in North Vietnam. I am the youngest of six children in my family, three boys and three girls. Sadly that one of my sisters died by lung cancer in 2007, leaving behind her husband and two children. My father used to work as a high school principle but is now retired. My mother is a farmer and house keeper.  They are all in Vietnam at the moment.

 In 2008 archbishop of Hanoi sent me to Melbourne to commence my priesthood formation under the scholarship of the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Hopefully in 2014 upon the completion of my studies, I will go back to Vietnam for ordination to serve people in my archdiocese. As you know, there are four parts of priesthood formation which are human, academic, spiritual and pastoral. So living and spending time in a parish to learn pastoral skill is a major part of pastoral formation.

I am so happy to be in St Damian’s parish. Thank you for your warm welcome. I hope that my time in Bundoora will be enjoyable and my pastoral experience will be enriched by your support and guidance. Please pray for me that I have enough confidence to complete my preparation for priesthood ordination and for the pastoral ministry in the future.

God do I distract

There is a seminarian. He is a very naughty man. One day the old woman knelt in prayer before the statue of Mary in the church.

The woman prayed so long and very earnestly. In the spare time He has nothing to do, so he wants to distract the old lady.

He tiptoed up to him behind the tabernacle, and then rising tone:

- Hi lady, here I am Jesus, let’s talk to me a bit.

The grandmother continued to pray to the Blessed Mother. He found another teacher naughty woman had not answered his repeated once again:

-  I am Jesus who wants to talk to you!

The woman still kneeling in prayer with butter province Mary. He said immediately linked to its much more:

- Jesus wants to talk to you, can you hear me?

She was turned to new instruments tabernacle an aggressive response that

- I was talking to his mother that why did he make me so distracted?

* Second humor story:

There is a story of a father trying to explain Lent to his ten year old son. At one point, the father said, “You ought to give up something you will really miss, like candy.” The boy thought for a moment, and then asked, “What are you giving up, father?”  “I am giving up liquor. “Yes, but that was only sherry,” said the father. “I gave up hard liquor.” To which the boy replied, “Well then, I think I will give up hard candy.”