After some years of being trained in the candidacy program, 19 candidates have just been admitted to the Sacred Heart Novitiate of the Vietnam Jesuit Province this coming May 31, 2018.
In the evening of May 29, 2018, Fr. Vincent Pham Van Mam, SJ, Provincial of the Vietnam Province, met all the new Novices in a fraternal meal as the first reception of the new members of the Province. In this chance, Fr. Provincial gave them a brief exhortation with the general ideas: The Society of Jesus does not assure them that they will get high degrees in the academic field, will be honored, or will reach to a higher social status. However, the Society ensures them that they will be guided seriously and gently to seek and to live out the call of God.
These new Novices had had a break-time with their families after receiving the admission letter from Fr. Provincial in the middle of May. They will enter into the Sacred Heart Novitiate on 31 May 2018 right after the first vows Mass of 18 second-year novices. The duration of Novitiate will last at least two years in solicitude and prayer, and be accompanied by experiments which aim at helping the novices deepen their experiences of God's love and love of people.
Huy Hoang, SJ 
