Message from Fr. Chung
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
"Brace yourself, the winter is coming." It is a catchy little quote from a TV show that I used to watch with my cousins, which reminds many of us that the winter is near. By now, I think everyone in the parish has warned me enough about the winter and the snow in Grand Rapids. At the same time, I am looking forward to having the experience of winter here. My name is Fr. Chung Tran, and I prefer “Fr. Chung” so that it doesn’t confuse me with others named “Tran” around Grand Rapids. I have been here in the parish a little over a month, and I don’t think I have had the opportunity to meet everyone in the parish yet. I think this week's bulletin is the opportunity for me to introduce myself to everyone in the parish.
I was born in Vietnam, and I came to the United States at a young age. I grew up in Southern California when the price of gas was only 79 cents a gallon. After I graduated from high school, I moved to Seattle. Some of you are probably wondering how did I move to Seattle. Well, I packed everything in trash bags and I drove from Southern California to Seattle. It took me only two days with rest, sight-seeing, hiking, and everything else that I needed to do. Honestly, I do enjoy road trips and it is an opportunity for me to visit national parks. I also enjoy hiking and I find God’s hands in nature. I did my undergraduate and graduate business degree in Seattle. For over ten years, I was in business with my brother before I joined the Redemptorists. I finished my philosophy study in New York and theology in Chicago. During my pastoral year, I was working in the jungle of northern Thailand and at Saint Gerard Parish, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. I was ordained to the diaconate at Saint Gerard Parish, and ordained to presbyter at Holy Ghost Parish in Houston.
Looking back on my journey, I can say that it is a blessing and I wasn't alone. The road to becoming a Redemptorist to serve God's people is not an easy journey. There are many reasons that contribute to the difficulty of the journey, but with God's grace, everything is possible. Especially, I find a lot of support from my family, community, and parishioners who encourage me to persevere. So far so good is what I used to say a lot. The truth is my journey is just the beginning, and I am far from the finish line. However, I find great joy and peace in serving God’s people. So a simple favor to ask is to keep my community in your prayers.
Pax,
Fr. Chung Tran, C.Ss.R