SAN ANTONIO • In a ceremony that marked the first ordination held in San Fernando Cathedral in 29 years, Father Anton Quang Dinh Van, formerly of Vietnam, was admitted into the priesthood on Sept. 4. Conferring the sacrament of holy orders was Auxiliary Bishop Patrick J. Zurek.
    Father Van, who is the first Vietnamese seminarian to serve the Archdiocese of San Antonio, was born in Hue, Vietnam, in 1956. Raised in a Catholic family of eight children, he initially studied at Khiet Tam High School Seminary, but eventually had to abandon his studies in order to help his family in the rice fields.
    His hurried departure from his homeland, by way of Hong Kong in 1980, did not leave time to even bid his parents farewell.
    However, it provided him with the opportunity to join his older siblings in Westminster, Colo., in 1981, where he worked as a restaurant cashier and as a tester at the Coors Beer Company.
     “I wanted to go back to study for the priesthood, but I did not have a chance because my parents, brothers’ and sisters’ families needed my help,” he said.
    Finally, in 1995, he was able to return to college, studying first for the Bridgeport, Conn., diocese and then for the Archdiocese of Detroit.

    After a year with the Redemptorists, he discerned he was not called to the religious life, but the desire to be a diocesan priest led him to San Antonio.
    Here he completed his degree at the University of the Incarnate Word and was accepted as a seminarian for the archdiocese at Assumption Seminary, known for its emphasis on bilingual, multi-cultural priestly formation.
    He earned a certificate of presbyteral studies from Olate School of Theology and then spent a year of supervised internship at Sacred Heart/St. James Church in Gonzales and at St. Patrick Church in Waelder.

    He was ordained to the diaconate at St. James on April 17 by Archbishop Patrick F. Flores.
    In addition to principal celebrant Bishop Zurek, concelebrants for Father Van’s ordination were Father Larry Christian, CMF, rector/president of Assumption Seminary, and Father Arturo Cepeda, vocation director for the archdiocese, assisted by Deacon Terry Brennan.
    Master of ceremonies was Tu Thanh Nguyen, seminarian for the Diocese of Fort Worth, with Hau Dinh Van (Father Van’s cousin) and Lupe Saldaña serving as lectors. Music was provided by the Vietnamese Dominican Choir of Houston.
    Addressing Father Van, Bishop Zurek said, “You come from a church rich in faith and rich in devotion.”     
    He noted that same church has endured much suffering and produced many martyrs. The bishop then read from a letter Father Van had written when coming to the archdiocese, in which he mentioned the influence of his parents.

    Among their instructions to their son were to always be kind to others, never fight with fellow students, be on time for class and Mass, and to always obey priests, sisters and older persons — precepts which Father Van took to heart.
    The bishop likened Father Van’s ministry to Jesus’ sending St. Peter out to fish again, though earlier attempts had been fruitless, after which the apostle fisherman netted an abundance of fish.
    “These words invite us,” he said, “to look forward to the future with confidence and hope.”
    He referred to Father Van’s priesthood as “putting out into the deep,” telling him, “Jesus will continue to walk with you. You are not alone; you have many brothers, including those here today. I too am your brother.”

    At the end of the ceremonies, Father Van expressed his joy and gratitude to those present in three languages — English, Spanish and Vietnamese, noting his devotion to the Blessed Mother for watching over him. “With all my heart, I love her so much — and you,” he said.
    Then, with the bishop’s approval, he stepped forward to bestow a special blessing on his Vietnamese family and friends who filled the right-hand side of the cathedral.
    It was announced that his first official assignment would be 30 days off, causing the bishop to smilingly note that this made Father Van’s “first pastor” the archbishop himself.
    A dinner in Father Van’s honor followed in the San Fernando Cathedral Centre, where Father David Garcia, cathedral rector, welcomed Assumption Seminary, the Vietnamese community and the many other friends of Father Van’s present and invited all to visit the nearby cathedral museum to learn of the history of the Catholic Church in Texas.
    “We thank Father for choosing San Fernando and coming here,” he concluded.