Cathedral rector connects with Vietnamese culture

By Joanne Fox, The Catholic Globe

Father William Vit Jr. does not settle for letting his Cathedral of the Epiphany congregation come to him. He reaches out to them.

Father William Vit Jr. Photo from Cathedral of the Epiphany.

Even if they are some 8,000 miles away.

Father Vit journeyed to Vietnam recently to connect with people associated with the Vietnamese population served at the Cathedral.

This is not the first time Father Vit has traveled to another country to do what God does – connect with people.

Last year, Father Vit and diocesan seminarian Brian Feller took a July trip to Mexico. As rector of the Cathedral, Father Vit noticed that many of his parishioners would leave Sioux City in the summer – sometimes for a week, sometimes for three months – and journey back to where they resided in Mexico.

“While they may make Siouxland their home, a part of their heart remains in their homeland in Mexico,” he said. “By visiting those areas where they grew up and often return to visit, a connection could be made between the two and through the lens of the church, Sioux City could be seen as an extension of their homeland.”

However, Father Vit characterized this trip to Vietnam as a bit different than the Mexico trek.

“When I traveled to Mexico, I knew the language and was familiar with the culture, so I would say it was more of a ‘culmination,’ than an initiation,” he said. “This time, I had no knowledge of the language, limited understanding of the culture, so it was more of the ‘beginning’ of a journey.”

Father Vit traveled alone for this Feb. 19-28 trip, but connected quickly with a strong support system.

“I started by meeting with Dominican priests in Saigon who assigned me a tutor at a local university so I could begin the process of learning some of the language and more about the culture,” he said.

Father Vit also connected with Father Hieu Nguyen, senior priest at Cathedral of the Epiphany, who ministers to the Vietnamese population, which numbers around 150 families.

Father Nguyen was born in Vinh Thanh, Caimon, Bentre in Vietnam. He spent a number of years living and ministering in a Vietnamese Refugee Camp in Malaysia and in 1990 relocated to the United States. He served five years in San Diego and came to the Cathedral in 1995.

Since then he has worked with the Vietnamese community in Sioux City and also ministers to the Vietnamese community at St. Joseph Cathedral in the Diocese of Sioux Falls, S.D.

“I wanted to visit Father Hieu because I knew he grew up in a rural area,” Father Vit said. “I wanted to experience the contrast between the urban feel of Saigon and the ‘country’ aspect of Vietnam.”

Father Vit had the pleasure of celebrating Father Nguyen’s 45th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood – a bit early. After completing his studies at St. Joseph Seminary in Saigon, Father Nguyen was ordained April 29, 1969.

“It was a joy,” Father Vit said. “Father Hieu had his siblings there to help him celebrate.”

Read the full story by Joanne Fox from the Catholic Globe.