Gulf Pine Catholic
•
July 18, 2014
9
Let Us Host Your Parties!
Fresh, Healthy & Reasonable
U.S. Prime Steaks • Fresh Seafood
Daily Lunch Specials
Breakfast:
Mon-Fri 7-11 am
Sat 7 am-1 pm
Sunday 7 am-2:30 pm
Lunch:
Daily 10:30 am-3:30 pm
Dinner:
Mon-Thurs 3:30-9 pm
Fri & Sat 3:30-10 pm
Join us for Sunday Brunch!
Restaurant of the Year
AwardedbyOceanSpringsChamber
Chef & Owner Sam Sabagh
reminds you,
“Bring your favorite
bottle of wine to dinner!”
1223 Government Street, Ocean Springs
(228) 875-0603
GREEK & LEBANESE CUISINE
228-871-5071
Join us for the Great
Migration!
African
Safari to
Kenya
October 4
th
-16
th
, 2014
Only three spots
available (one double
and a roommate
needed!)
tor of the Church, founded the Congregation of the
Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) in Naples, Ita-
ly, in 1732 as a religious congregation of the Catholic
Church. The Congregation was formally approved in
1749 by Pope Benedict XIV. The original mission as
set forth by St. Alphonsus was to strive to follow the
example of Jesus Christ by preaching the Gospel to the
poor and the most abandoned, particularly to those who
live on the margins of Church and society.
Before joining the Redemptorists, Jesus Ruelas, 21,
a native of Livingston, Calif., worked as a quality con-
trol technician in the food safety industry.
“I joined the Redemptorists because I wanted to
give my life to God,” he said. “I wanted to serve him
by helping his people. I feel called to live the life of a
missionary in this century, to serve the poor and most
abandoned; and to be that spiritual father to those who
freely choose to follow Christ.”
Ruelas, who will soon begin his second semester of
philosophy studies, has had the opportunity to do just
that this summer.
“I can say that I’m living the experience every
single time I walk through the halls of the prisons and
when I sit with a patient one-on-one at the St. Vincent
de Paul Community Pharmacy,” he said.
Thien Hoang, 30, a Texas native, said he had ques-
tions about his future that
were answered on the Lu-
nar New Year of 2012.
“I was in the middle of
a decision concerning my
future and, as I prayed to
God, he gave me an an-
Redemptorist seminarians spend summer assisting
in Biloxi parishes
BY TERRY DICKSON
BILOXI -- Three young men who are studying
to be Redemptorist priests spent part of their sum-
mer helping out at Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos,
Our Mother of Sorrows and Vietnamese Martyrs
Parishes.
The experience, albeit abbreviated, gives the
men a foretaste of what it’s like to serve in a parish.
Pastor Father Steve Wilson, who left in mid-July
to take on a new role as Co-Director of Formation
at the Pre-Novitiate program at St. Alphonsus Re-
demptorist Formation Residence in the Bronx, NY.,
which happens to be where all three men are currently
studying, said the summer internship is a vital part of the
formation process.
“Our seminarians generally spend at least six weeks
of the summer at one of the Redemptorist ministries
around the country. It could be working with migrant
workers, or at one of our retreat centers, or more com-
monly, in one of our parishes,” said Father Wilson. “This
gives the men the opportunity to experience ministry
first hand. They become involved not only in liturgy but
also in youth ministry, adult education, and even office
work. In addition they spend time in the social outreach-
es of the parish. In the case of the parishes in Biloxi this
involves working in prison ministry and at the St. Vin-
cent de Paul Pharmacy. The summer experience gives
them the chance to put to practical use what they have
been learning during the school year. In short, it gives
them the opportunity to get their feet wet and experience
a closeness to the people we serve as Redemptorists.”
St. Alphonsus Liguori, moral theologian and Doc-
swer,” said Hoang, who previously worked for the
Texas Medicaid and Healthcare Partnership and as
a volunteer at a long-term care facility.
“A sense of joy came over me. It was an im-
mediate sensation that can only be the Holy Spirit.
All my life I was told I had the qualities and would
make an excellent priest, but always ignored it. But
after that Lunar New Year Mass, I walked out with
the undeniable decision to start my discernment. I
knew God had this path laid out for me and this
path has made me happy beyond words.
Hoang recently completed his first semester of
pre-novitiate studies.
Vincent Nguyen, 20, a native of Orange County, Ca-
lif., will enter third philosophy this fall and spend an
additional two years in his pre-novitiate studies before
entering the novitiate.
The product of a very religious family, he said the
seeds of his vocation were planted early by his uncle,
Father Vincent Thanh Nguyen, who is a priest in the
Diocese of Austin, TX.
“I started to get involved at my home parish in many
ministries, including as an altar server, a member of the
Knights of Columbus, as well as the Vietnamese Eucha-
ristic Youth Movement among others,” he said. “That is
when the desire to pursue the priesthood began to grow
stronger in my heart. Around my junior year in high
school, I began to attend discernment retreats with vari-
ous religious orders, but I felt the most at home with the
Redemptorists. Their zealous mission of ministering to
the poor and marginalized and their special devotion to
Our Lady attracted me and inspired me to join.”
Nguyen believes his work with the poor and margin-
alized in East Biloxi, especially those who are still suf-
fering from the lingering effects of Hurricane Katrina,
and the opportunity to minister to prisoners will provide
him with invaluable experience as he forges ahead in
his studies.
According to Father Wilson, it is generally an eight
year process to become a fully professed Redemptorist.
A man who feels called to be a priest on top of his call-
ing to religious life would have an additional year for a
total of nine.
Thien Hoang
Vincent Nguyen
Jesus Ruelas
Prayer for Protection against Storms and
Hurricanes
Our Father in Heaven through the intercession of Our Lady
of Prompt Succor, spare us during this Hurricane season
from all harm. Protect us and our homes from all disasters
of nature. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to help us.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
