Featured Stories | December 09, 2025
“For me, the diaconate is not just another step to become a priest; instead, it is a gift, grace, and blessing from God”
-Deacon Hung Pham, SCJ
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CONGRATULATIONS to our newly ordained deacons: Dcn. Long Nguyen, SCJ, and Dcn. Hung Pham, SCJ! They were ordained by Archbishop Jeffery Grob of Milwaukee on Dec. 8 at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology.
Originally from Vietnam, Dcn. Hung, 38, moved to Houston in 2008. He professed his first vows in 2020 and his final vows in June. He completes his studies at Sacred Heart this semester and has been assigned to serve as a deacon with the Dehonians’ pastoral team in northern Mississippi.
“For me, the diaconate is not just another step to become a priest; instead, it is a gift, grace, and blessing from God,” said Dcn. Hung. “The mark of Christ will be forever imprinted on my soul; therefore, when I am a deacon, I am a deacon for life. ‘I am among you as one who serves’ (Lk 22:27). Diaconate, diakonia, literally means one who serves in the service of the Church. Therefore, at this stage, I am called to proclaim, live, and serve the Gospel in a meaningful and fruitful way. Becoming a transitional deacon will deepen my understanding of my future role as a priest, especially as a Dehonian priest.”
Dcn. Long, 46, is a Louisiana native. He first professed vows with the SCJs in 2007 and served as a religious brother for several years before feeling called to pursue ordained ministry. He did his theological studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and last year completed a year-long CPE program (Clinical Pastoral Education) through Aurora Healthcare in Milwaukee, preparing him for his current ministry as a hospital chaplain.
“My diaconate ordination is a gift and grace of the present moment and time which requires deeper reflection,” said Fra. Long. “What is the future to which God calls me through the invitation of the Spirit?”
About his ministry as a chaplain, Dcn. Long said that he “enjoys sharing prayer space with others. Chaplaincy is one way of sharing that space. I remind people that tears, anguish and frustrations are prayers too.”
Please keep the new deacons in your prayers as they continue to move forward in their vocational journey.
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