Preparing for religious life
Each year we ask our students in formation to introduce themselves in their own words. Reflecting the diversity of the Priests of the Sacred Heart (Dehonians), as well as the Church itself, they represent a wide variety of cultural, educational and professional backgrounds. Yet they each have the same call to follow in the footsteps of our founder, Fr. Leo John Dehon. Most of our students attend Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology; during the 2024-25 academic year, three of our seminarians are doing their pastoral year, gaining experience in full-time ministry before completing their studies.
Meet our students! Click on the student’s name or photo to learn more about him.
Frater Jonathan Nguyen-Vuong, SCJ
First Profession: August 15, 2022
A member of the Mississippi Community, Frater Jonathan is enrolled as an undergraduate at the University of Memphis and does weekend ministry with the Dehonian Pastoral Team that serves six parishes in northern Mississippi. This is his second year as a part of the Dehonian community in Mississippi.
First Profession: August 15, 2020
Originally from Vietnam, Frater Thuan is on his pastoral year, serving in northern Mississippi; he returns to his seminary studies next fall at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. One of his favorite quotes from the bible: “Do not forget the works of the Lord” (Psalms 78: 7b)
First Profession: August 15, 2020
After completing his pastoral year at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Houston, Frater Hung returned to Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology this fall. He is currently preparing for final vows. Before pursing his vocation he earned a degree in engineering and was a Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) analyst at the ALS Oil and Gas Company in Houston.
First Profession: August 15, 2022
Originally from Houston, Frater Jacob is a second-year seminarian at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology; in 2023 he graduated from Marquette University with a bachelor’s in Philosophy. He has been involved in a variety of ministries in the province, including music, often serving as cantor at seminary liturgies.
First Profession: August 15, 2020
Frater Truc, originally from Vietnam, is a second-year seminarian at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. For the 2024-25 academic year he is in South Dakota, doing his pastoral ministry year. Prior to pursuing his religious vocation he earned a degree in engineering.
First Profession: August 15, 2022
Frater Michael grew up in suburban Milwaukee, just a few miles from Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, where he has completed three years of theology. Currently he is on his pastoral year, serving at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Houston. Prior to entering the seminary he earned a bachelor’s of Business Administration and worked in accounting.
Our formators
Our formation program is based at Sacred Heart Monastery, located on the campus of Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. Directing the program this year are Frs. Joseph Thien Dinh, SCJ and Fr. Frank Wittouck, SCJ. Between them, Frs. Joseph and Frank represent almost 100 years of religious life as members of the Priests of the Sacred Heart. Before taking part in the international formators program at our Generalate in Rome, Fr. Joseph earned a Doctorate in Ministry from the Houston Graduate School of Theology. He has served in parish ministry in Wisconsin and Texas, and was a member of the Provincial Council.
Looking at Fr. Frank’s curriculum vitae, it seems like he has done just about everything! He has been a teacher, spiritual director and administrator in the province’s seminaries, a military chaplain (serving in Korea, Germany, Kuwait and in the United States), a prison chaplain, as well as a parish pastor. A lifelong student, he has certificates and degrees from Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, Kilroe Seminary, the Catholic University of America, the University of Detroit, the Austin-Presbyterian Seminary, the University of San Francisco and Loyola University New Orleans. He is officially retired, but remains active in a wide variety of ministries, including mentoring our students preparing for religious life.
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What about you?
We are the Priests of the Sacred Heart (Dehonians, SCJs). We live in community, are inspired by daily Eucharistic Adoration, and in a fragmented world we believe unity to be possible. Our ministries are diverse, as are our members. Yet our goal is the same: to work with a common heart in service to God’s people, reflecting the love of Christ as experienced by our founder, Fr. Leo John Dehon. Are you called to a life of prayer and service based in the love of the Sacred Heart? Are you called to religious life as a priest or brother?
Do you have a question for our vocation director? Are you discerning a vocation to the priesthood and/or religious life?
