October 31, 2017
Vietnamese Provincial, Fr. Vincent Pham Van Mam, presided the Mass and conferral liturgies.
Seven newly conferred Lectors include Nguyen Phuoc Bao An, Nguyen Minh Do, Nguyen Van Hai, Nguyen Van Hoe, Tran Duc Huan, Tran Ngoc Anh Linh, and Nguyen Huu Phong.
Five newly conferred Acolytes include Do Hung Dinh, Vu Chi Kien, Phung Manh Vinh Nghi, Do Thanh Nguyen, and Le Cao Tai.
These twelve Jesuits, together with their fellow scholastics and brothers, had just finished a three-day retreat after their first semester of the 2017-2018 academic year.
Code of Canon Law, n. 1035, requires that candidates in advance of their diaconate ordination to receive and exercise ministries of lector and acolyte for a suitable period of time. The Canon also prescribes that the conferral of acolyte must precede deaconate ordination at least six months. As a tradition of Saint Joseph Scholasticate, these ministries are conferred to the first and the second year theologians. The conferral Mass usually takes place at the semester break, normally at the end of October yearly.
In his homily, Fr. Provincial Vincent Pham Van Mam urged newly-conferred Lectors and Acolytes to be more aware of their deeper incorporation into the Church’s ministries. He cited the story of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, S.J (1533-1617) who had a great love for Christ and therefore joyfully served the Church as a humble doorkeeper for 45 years. The newly-conferred Lectors and Acolytes should imitate St. Alphonsus Rodriguez in their prayer, in their commitment to studies, and in their passionate desire to serve God in the Church in the years to come.
Vinh Nghi, SJ 
