Father Tien Duong carries the Blessed Sacrament in a Eucharistic procession for the Feast of Corpus Christi May 29, surrounded by parishioners at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Franklin. Church members worked for hours that day to create colorful sawdust carpets (in Spanish, "tapetes de aserrín") laid out in large, intricately chalked designs on the ground to decorate the path of the Eucharistic procession. (Photo provided by Erika Diaz)FRANKLIN — The story of Father Tien Duong, his brother Father Duc Duong and their family is a story of survival and grace. The two priests of the Diocese of Charlotte are celebrating their 15th anniversary of ordination this year, which is a testament to their tenacity and their faith given the circumstances of their lives in fleeing Vietnam and coming to the United States.
Father Tien grew up in a family with 10 brothers and sisters (eight boys, two girls) in Saigon. The family was very faith-filled and active in their parish.
"I believed that I wanted to become a priest even before I received my first Communion," Father Tien recalls. "I went to minor seminary as a sixth-grader in 1973."
Just like all those who had family members involved in the armed forces of South Vietnam, their family endured a great deal of hardship after the Communists took control in Vietnam, Father Tien notes, particularly when his father was arrested and put in a labor camp or "re-education" camp.
"I escaped by boat with my brother, now Father (James) Duc Duong, for the first time, but it was not successful and we were put in prison. The second escape occurred in 1989 with my younger brother, and we ended up at Galang refugee camp in Indonesia," he says.
A few years later he came to the U.S. following the rest of his family, and they settled in Charlotte. Father Tien resumed his efforts to follow God's will and become a priest. He went to Central Piedmont Community College for two years, then studied philosophy for two years at St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, La., before graduating from St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pa.
"I was ordained by Bishop (William) Curlin with my brother (Father Duc Duong) and with Father Bob Ferris and Father Kurt Fohn on June 2, 2001, at St. Gabriel Church, which was also my first assignment as associate pastor," he says.
Over the past 15 years, Father Tien has served as associate pastor at St. Gabriel Church, then in-residence for a few months at St. Mark Church in Huntersville.
He says he "came to the top of the mountain in Highlands at Our Lady of the Mountains for three years, and then came down to Franklin," where he has served as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church since 2008.
"The love of people, the cold weather and the love for people in the mountain area have kept me here since," he says.
He believes people would be surprised to know that one of the things he loves most about living in western North Carolina is the cold weather, even though he grew up in the tropical climate of South Vietnam.
About his priestly ministry, Father Tien shares, "My spiritual director at seminary and other friends asked me, 'If God will not choose you, what would you do?' My answer was very simple. I never had a second thought of giving up the call. God calls, and I will answer, and God will never turn His face away from me. He will provide!"
"I am doing God's will, and it is not easy to fulfill His will," he continues. "When you try to fulfill His will, certainly people will not like it as they look at it with human wisdom. And that is true for me as a priest, as well.
"However, my big lesson that I learned when I was in the refugee camp was: Trust in God's power and wisdom. And another one when I studied philosophy: God will provide.
"So, no matter what others criticize or misunderstand, gossip or even slander, or the tasks I thought, 'How can I do them?', at that time God reminds me of these two lessons."
He also credits his guardian angel for assistance.
Like his brother priests, Father Tien says, "the Eucharist (visiting, adoring, receiving) is the key for me today as a priest and also for those who want to discern the vocation to the priesthood. That is the key that Jesus uses to open my heart, mind and soul, and I have to let Him do so sincerely.
"I do not want to 'do a show' for people to see. I want to do it for Jesus, and then Jesus is the one to show it to His people."
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter