January 19, 2020

My Dear Parishioners,
 
   We are in mid-January  of 2020.  I am thankful to God for my life, my priestly vocation, my big family near and far, and my many friends and parishioners from all over.  God has been so good to me and blessed me with so much, especially the many good-hearted people in my life.  Because of God’s goodness revealed through you, I have always loved my life and felt the blessings everyday, whether I am celebrating Holy Masses, hearing confessions or working in the yard.  The Holy Spirit is always with me to lead me and to guide me.  Thank you everyone for your love, prayer and the good you have done and shared with me, especially during the holy season of Christmas.  Thank you for your personal notes, cards, best wishes and monetary gifts too.  I will continue praying for you and my benefactors.  Of course, I will do all that I can to serve our parish.  Do you know that All Saints has so much work for me to do that I will never get it all done?  However, I will not give up—just like the Chiefs last Sunday—but will continue getting one thing done at a time with God’s help and with your support.
 
   One of the Christmas letters I received this year was from a 7th grader from St. Thomas Aquinas.  His name is Micah and he had 3 questions for me:  how long did it take me to become a priest, what do I do in my free time, and do I get to see my family on the holidays?  Answers:  it took me 5 years of undergraduate studies, majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Theology, at The Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, MN.  After that I spent 4 years of graduate studies of Theology at The Pontifical College Seminary in Columbus, OH.  I really don’t have a whole lot of free time because I always keep myself busy.  I love to celebrate the sacraments, and to keep up our church and school facilities.  I do my laundry and handwash my dishes.  Whenever I can, I like to go fishing, deer hunting and play pool.  Of course I have a garden and a fish pond too.  Most of my family members are living in Wichita and I see them very frequently.  My family consists of my parents, 5 younger siblings and 12 nieces and nephews.  I also have over a hundred relatives back in Vietnam and so I try to see them once about every 5 years.  For more information about me, please visit AllSaints.com and click on Fr.Hien’s story.
 
   Finally, my heart is still full of joy and happiness because we had so many people coming to our church for Holy Masses.  Thank you everyone.  I am looking forward to meeting with our 1st Confession/Communion parents and children on Wednesday, January 22nd, at 6:30pm in the Fischer Center.  A reminder that there will be no 11 am Mass this Sunday, January 19th.  Everyone is invited to the Diocesan Vietnamese New Year celebration on the 19th  at 3pm, at Church of the Magdalen, followed by the dragon dance and reception in the gym.  On Saturday, January 25th at 10am, All Saints will have a special Vietnamese New Year Mass.  Everyone is invited to our Holy Mass and a reception afterwards in the Fischer Center. 
 
Happy New Year to all Vietnamese, Fr. Hien