Fostering Mission and Formation: Canonical Visit of the Superior General to Vietnam

The Superior General, Fr. Carlos Luis Suarez Codorniú, SCJ, made a 10-day canonical visit to the District of Vietnam from October 9 to 19, 2026. He was accompanied by Fr. Leonardo Zampa, SCJ, General Treasurer. During their visit,they attended the priestly and diaconal ordinations of Vietnamese members in Bùi Phát parish, in the Archdiocese of Saigon.

A time to foster fraternal communion

The members of the District of Vietnam welcomed with joy the Superior General, Fr. Carlos Luis Suarez Codorniú,SCJ, and the General Treasurer, Fr. Leonardo Zampa, SCJ. This visit was a special occasion of grace, strengthening the fraternal bonds between the Generalate in Rome and all the religious serving in the mission field of Vietnam.

As is customary during canonical visits, the Superior General dedicated his time to visiting each local community,organizing community meetings and speaking individually with each confrere. These personal conversations provided the Father General with a precious opportunity to express his closeness and paternal care, bringing immense encouragement to each member’s vocational journey.

Formation and missionary spirit

During the visit, the Superior General, accompanied by the Superior of the District of Vietnam, visited Bishop Louis Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, Bishop of the Diocese of Hà Tĩnh, where the community of the Dehonian Scholasticate is located.A cordial meeting took place between the Father General and Bishop Louis, who generously shared his analysis of the local life of faith and current pastoral challenges, while inviting the Congregation to collaborate in the local mission field. Echoing this apostolic zeal, the Superior General expressed his desire to send SCJ religious to serve in the diocese. The meeting was marked by deep fraternal communion, inspiring renewed hope for the future presence and ministry of the Congregation in the diocese.

The Superior General also offered the district community profound reflections on two essential pillars of Dehonian life:formation and the mission of evangelization. Recalling the spirit of the Founder, the Venerable Fr. Leo Dehon, he warmly encouraged the Vietnamese Dehonians to continually nurture their apostolic zeal, to engage with courage, and to always be ready to “go forth” for the mission of the Church. He emphasized that the formation of religious deeply rooted in spirituality, intellectual competence, and community life is the essential foundation enabling the district to respond effectively to the pastoral needs of our time.

Priestly and diaconal ordinations

A highlight of the visit was the Ordination Mass of four new priests and four new deacons, celebrated on October 17,2026, in Bùi Phát parish, in the Archdiocese of Saigon.

The Priests: Giuse Nguyễn Văn Đạt, SCJ; Giuse Đinh Hiệp Hoà, SCJ; Phêrô Nguyễn Thanh Hoài, SCJ; Giuse Phạm Văn Thắng, SCJ

The Deacons: Phêrô Nguyễn Văn Thông, SCJ; Phêrô Nguyễn Hoàng Minh, SCJ; Gioakim Đỗ Văn Tề, SCJ; Phêrô Nguyễn Thành Trung, SCJ

Looking to the future with hope

The 10-day visit concluded with deep gratitude and renewed hope. The exhortations, orientations, and fraternal accompaniment of the Superior General constitute an essential source of encouragement, enabling the SCJ District of Vietnam to continue to grow, to remain united, and to fulfill with zeal its mission of love in the heart of today’s society.