On the road again
Gary Walker
After 18 months in Australia Fr Tien Xuan Nguyen, a Columban missionary from Melbourne is heading back to Japan. He had previously spent seven years there. The bishop of Yokohama diocese has appointed him to Fujisawa parish, a large bustling community of 3,000 Catholics: Japanese, Vietnamese refugees who settled in Japan and Filipino and South American immigrant workers.
His ability to speak Japanese, Vietnamese and English means he will be a great asset in this multicultural parish.
Why did he join the Columbans? ‘This is what I wanted to do,’ he said smiling. ‘The first Columban I met was Fr Leo Donnelly (who is retired and living in Peru). What attracted me was the friendliness and ordinariness of the Columbans.’ He added, ‘I want to witness to God’s mission especially overseas. I think that being called to be a missionary priest or a priest is hard to explain to people, even to myself God invited me to do this. ‘Leaving my family and familiar environment in Australia is not easy but this is what I want to do.’
His brother, Thinh, was ordained last year for the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Ironically, when Tien joined the Columban Missionary Society, he wanted to work in a poor country but instead, ended up in Japan. He has a high regard for the Japanese. He says, ‘Japanese Catholics appreciate my presence in their country; they understand that I have left my family and friends behind. They also know how hard their language is and understand that a young priest can get homesick and lonely at times.’
He added, ‘They support me by inviting me to their homes, by taking me out for meals and by keeping in contact.’ He continued, ‘One family flew to Melbourne for three days only to visit my father’s grave, my father died in March 1998, and meet my mother and brothers.’
There are 300 Vietnamese in the parish of Fujisawa, most of whom were allowed to settle in Japan in the 1970s and 80s after fleeing Vietnam in boats.
This experience is something he understands himself, having escaped South Vietnam in 1982 on a boat destined for Malaysia. After 12 months in a refugee camp with his brothers aged 15 and twins who were 11-years-old, his sister sponsored them to Australia. She had also left Vietnam by boat the previous year and came to Australia via Thailand. Tien was 18 at the time.
In 1985 his parents and the rest of the family were sponsored to come to Australia. He says simply, “Thank you, Australia!” Like many Catholics, his parents moved to South Vietnam from the north in 1954 when the Communists took over.
At present there are 120 Vietnamese priests, seminarians and religious sisters in Japan. He doesn’t expect to be absorbed into the Vietnamese community because he likes the Japanese culture. He comments, ‘They are a very polite people, law abiding and they have a great appreciation for the beauty of nature’.
Tien is more than a competent musician on the piano and guitar and says, ‘I enjoy the mini concerts in parishes as much as the people do. Music breaks down barriers; with music you don’t need language, it appeals to young and old alike.’
