Thanks For Fr. Kim

Ordained Rev. Kim wearing his priestly garments. It reflects the dignity of ministry.

 Bp. Soc Villegas, the ordaining bishop, lay his hands on Rev. Kim's head, as the external sign of his acceptance to the priestly ministry. 

           Rev. Kim delivering his homily during one of the special occasions in the parish. Giving homilies is one of the responsibilities of a deacon.

           The deacon posing with the Pastor, (me of course!) after one of the feast day masses. The deacon is also tasked to assist the pastor in all liturgical celebrations.

He came as Reverend Kim. He was from war torn Vietnam and was sent by his bishop here in the Philippines to study theology in San Carlos Major Seminary in Guadalupe, Makati City, as part of his intellectual formation in the priesthood. His Rector, Fr. Edwin Mercado (now assigned as our Assistant Parish Priest), called me and asked if Rev. Kim could spend his diaconate training in our parish. It was not really the first time Fr. Edwin requested for our parish to accommodate one of their Vietnamese deacons. But at that time, we were still constructing our church and I thought that it will be hard for us and for the deacon to be accommodated.

Fr. Kim turned out to be a very responsible and industrious deacon. His willingness to learn made it easy for him to gather much experience in giving homilies, assisting in masses, celebrating Baptisms, and giving talks to the ministries and organizations in the parish. He was a fast learner and serious about becoming an effective pastor. The people liked him in return. After six months of being with us, he was ordained in San Carlos Seminary. Most of his visitors came from the parish. We were very proud to have been a part of his formation. We saw that he was also very proud to have had his diaconate exposure in our parish. His ordination was also a sort of celebration for all of us. The next day, Sunday, he celebrated his first mass in the parish after which we again celebrated by partaking of a good dinner! We finally met his family. Even though we had a language barrier. Our actions and gestures were more than enough to communicate our happiness for being together in the realization of the priesthood of Fr. Kim.

(Rev. Kim came to our parish on March, 2008 and was ordained in September of the same year. He went back to his home country, Vietnam, immediately after his ordination and will go to his assignment early 2009 in the Diocese of Naha in Okinawa, Japan.)