From the lelf: Fr. Joseph Hoang Van Tinh, SJ; Bishop Cosme Hoang Van Dat, SJ; Fr. JB Nguyen Trung Kien, SJ
Bishop Cosme Hoang Van Dat, S.J. or popularly known as "Chu Nam" (Uncle Five) 71, Bishop of Bac Ninh diocese. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1968 and studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical College of St. Pius X in Da Lat before he was ordained a priest in 1976. He took his final vow in 1982. Father Dat was in charge of religious formation for young Jesuits, provided pastoral activities for a parish and leprosariums. After furthering his studies in France, Father Dat worked as a spiritual director at the Saint Joseph Major Seminary of Hanoi Archdiocese from 2005-2008. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him bishop of Bac Ninh on August 04, 2008 and his episcopal ordination was on October 07 the same year. Bishop Dat is the first Jesuit bishop in Vietnam.
Bishop Cosme Hoang Van Dat, SJ was the principal celebrant of the Golden Jubilee Mass, assisted by Bishop Michael Hoang Duc Oanh, former bishop of Kontum diocese, Fr. Tinh, Fr. Kien and Fr. Vincent Pham Van Mam, SJ, Provincial of Vietnam Province.
Father Joseph Hoang Van Tinh, SJ, 71, is the parish priest of Tao Tac parish, Da Lat diocese. He started his novitiate in 1968. He completed his first studies in philosophy and theology at the Pontifical College of St. Pius X in Da Lat. He was ordained a priest in Saigon in 1991 and took his final vows in 2006. Father Tinh worked as a director of the candidacy house for 19 years before being missioned to be parish priest of Tao Tac parish.
Father JB Nguyen Trung Kien, SJ, 69, is the spiritual director and professor at the Vinh Thanh Major Seminary of Vinh Diocese. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1968. After finishing his philosophy and theology at the Pontifical College of St. Pius X in Da Lat, he was ordained into priesthood in 1993. He pronounced his Final Vows in 1984. Father Kien used to teach philosophy for scholastics in many years. After his doctoral studies in the US, he was assigned to be the formation delegate of the Vietnam Jesuit Province. Since 2013, he has been the spiritual director and professor at the Vinh Thanh Major Seminary.
Chinh Tran, SJ
