Letter Of The General Master To The Regional Vicariate 2008

FRATRES ORDINIS PREADICATORUM CURIA GENERALITIA September 8, 2008 Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Dear Bro. Liem and all the brothers of the Vietnamese Vicariate, It was a joyful experience for fr. Ed Ruane, fr. Allan White and me to spend a few days in our fraternal visit to your vicariate. Your joy, enthusiasm and commitment to Dominican life and ministry are very evident and inspiring. Your life has been touched by the cross through the pain of having to leave Vietnam as well as your early beginnings in North America. This struggle has created in you an endurance that is based on faith in Jesus crucified and risen. While this has been painful, so too it has given you a certain joy, simplicity, and fraternity as well as apostolic fruitfulness in your Dominican life. In our discussion with the vicariate council it is good to see that your ministry is developing to the Vietnamese community in Vancouver, Arlington, Phoenix, and Houston as well as in Calgary. While your parishes are very important to you and provide a necessary ministry, we are also happy for the development of "Veritas" magazine, your Shrine to St. Martin, and your presence both in the University and the Diocesan school system. We also commend you for sending brothers for higher studies. All of these developments point to a strong Dominican future. You continue to think about ministries that are keeping with our typically Dominican tradition. In our discussion we mentioned the possibility of exploring the Shrine of St. Martin and their small magazine that is published in the Province of Ireland. (Director: Fr. Diarmuid Clifford, OP, St. Martin Apostolate, Convent of St. Saviour, Upper Dorset St., Dublin 1, Ireland. Email: [email protected].) Also, their adult catechesis program, called "The Priory Institute" based at St. Mary's Priory, Tallaght, may be something you could learn from as well. (Director: Fr. James Kavanagh, OP, The Priory Institute, St. Mary's, Tallaght Village, Dublin 24, Ireland. Email: [email protected].) Both of these works are strong apostolic ventures of the Province of Ireland and may give you ideas in your own apostolic development. Your commitment to community life and prayer are also key to the future. We would hope that eventually all your houses could have at least three brothers. Your new Priory will be a strong asset in realizing a full Dominican life. Once the community in Houston comes under your jurisdiction, there could be a possibility for a second priory. It is our understanding that the agreement between your vicariate and the Southern Dominican Province in the United States will soon be realized.

The question that we asked both the Council and all the brothers concerns your future. It is evident that you think about this and talk among yourselves as well. We want to encourage this discussion and urge you to think broadly and boldly. While you need to remember your roots, you need to think of the future of the Vietnamese people in North America as well as other ethnic and Canadian peoples. If your life and ministry is vibrant, and if you are open, others will be attracted to you and need to be welcomed by you. Of Course, God will direct and guide your future ultimately. We simply want you to be confident in your Dominican life, even as you may need to face new and difficult challenges. Because of your growth, we would request that you change your status from being a Provincial Vicariate to a Regional Vicariate of the Province of Vietnam. You have one convent and your council is able to admit brothers to solemn profession and ordination. This status is in keeping with your reality. (You can study the appropriate constitutions, LCO #384-389). The provincial council can make this declaration and then notify the Master of the Order. The Vicar Provincial then becomes a Regional Prior, with the rights of the Prior Provincial of Vietnam remaining the same as they are now. In the future, you may wish to study the possibility of becoming a General Vicariate (LCO 257, II), or even of becoming a Vice-Province (LCO 257, I). This needs to be done carefully reviewing your agreement with the Province of Canada as well as the relati onship you would desire with the Province of Vietnam. We had the opportunity of visiting with the Bishop of Calgary. He was most grateful for the strong presence of the Dominicans with the Diocese. He was impressed with your energy, creativity, and your attracting vocations. Indeed he considers your presence a great blessing. Brothers, thank you for your most gracious hospitality and your commitment as friars preachers. I also want to thank you for the service of Bro. Joseph Nguyen Thang who worked as Procurator General in the Curia Generalizia and is now working in the Congregation of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies oh Apostolic Life. Of course, I also want to thank our Bro. Paul Tran for his two terms of admirable service as Vicar Provincial and, to you, Bro. Liem as you continue to serve well your brothers in the vicariate, your province, and indeed the whole Order. Your brother in St. Dominic, Fr. Carlos Azpiroz Costa, O.P. Master of the Order Prot. N. 40/08/804 Vicariato Canada