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Volume 24No. 2 |Winter 2014
NewMissionSecretary forProvince
Fr TrucQuocPhanSVDhasbeenappointedas thenew
MissionSecretary for theSVDAUSProvince, a jobwhichhe
sayswill holdbothnewchallengesandgreatopportunities
to liveandpromoteChrist’smission.
Fr Trucwasbornand raised inVietnambeforecoming to
Australia tocompletehisSVD formation. Hisfirstmission
assignmentwas toThailand,which ispartof theAUS
Province.
He returned fromThailand last year, after sixandahalf
years there, andwasassignedasassistantpriest toStMark’s
Parish, Inala, inBrisbane, aswell asassistantpriest to the
Vietnamesecommunity inQueensland.
Aswithmany things in religious life, hisappointment as
MissionSecretarycameasa surprise.
“Itwasa surprise, but formefirstly, it isabout saying ‘yes’ to
theneedwhen I amasked,”he says.
“So, itwill beanew learningandanewchallenge for
meand I know I can’tdo itwithoutGodandwithout the
cooperationof the staff in theMissionSecretariat and the
helpof the formerMissionSecretary, FrHenryAdler.
“I amopen to theMissionandwilling toopenup to the
needs that are thereand to theadvice I receive fromothers.”
Fr Truc sayshe is looking forward toworkingwithothers in
thepromotionofmission, including theVocationsDirector,
other confreresand thedifferentministries inparishes.
“I’m looking forward tovisiting theconfreres to seehow they
areworkingandhowmission is comingalive inourparishes
andministriesand seeing if thereareways inwhich I can
help themout andalso learn from them,”he says.
Hewill alsodraw from themanyvaluableexperiences in
mission that hehadduringhis time inThailand.
Fr Truc sayshis life inThailand, a stronglyBuddhist nation,
wasnotwithout challenges, butGodhelpedhim tomeet
themand togrow through them.
Placed inchargeof threeparishes innorthernThailand,
Fr Truc saysheworkedwith thepeople tohelpmeet their
needs, includingbuildingnewchurchesand repairingold
ones, creatingparishcouncilsandworkingwith the local
Buddhist community.
He sayshis time therehelpedhimunderstandmorehow
Godworks throughus tocarryoutHismission.
“Itwasablessing forme,”he says. “I love theculture, I love
thepeopleand thework, and I am lovedby thepeople too.
Godhasdonegreat things inme, through theThai people;
muchmore than I ever expected.
“When I first setout, I didn’t expect that I coulddoanything
likewhat I did there.Godworks throughus. It’s incredible.”
Fr Truc’snewappointment asMissionSecretary for theAUS
Provincewill have threedistinct, but interrelated focuses.
Theyare: to fostermissionawareness; to showparticular
interest in thepersonalwelfareofmissionaries; and to raise
funds for theoverseasmissions.
Akeyaimof theMissionOffice is to support themission
projectsof theSVDaround theworld. To thisend, the
MissionSecretary, togetherwitha small butdedicated staff,
workhard to raiseanddistribute funds formissionactivities
inoverseas countries.
Fr Truc sayshe is looking forward togetting toknowmanyof
the friendsandbenefactorsof theDivineWordMissionaries,
who sogenerouslycontinue to support theSVD’smissionary
activitiesaround theworld.
