Passionists a good fit for Phi
Local
His journey to the priesthood has not been as smooth as some but Cao Anh Phi’s perseverance and commitment was rewarded when he was ordained in Adelaide this month.
A time of joy for the Passionists of Holy Spirit Province and the parish of St Paul of the Cross, his ordination by Archbishop Patrick O’Regan fittingly took place on March 8, the first Saturday of Lent.
With the charism of the Passionists founded on the passion and death of Jesus, the timing of his ordination wasn’t lost on Phi as he spoke to The Southern Cross ahead of the big day.
“It’s very special,” he said. “As far as I know I’m the first Passionist priest from Vietnam to be ordained during Lent.”
Equally special will be his first Thanksgiving Mass on March 15 in his home village of Buon Ho Town in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. More than 800 people are expected at the Mass, followed by three weeks of celebrations with family, friends and fellow Passionists.
Since returning 10 months ago to The Monastery at Glen Osmond, where he spent a year in 2018,
Fr Phi has endeared himself to the local parishioners and the elderly house-bound Catholics he visits regularly.
His Superior and parish priest of Glen Osmond/Parkside, Fr Tom McDonough, described him as “a wonderful young man” who was full of energy and would make a “very beautiful priest”.
“He’s never idle, he’s always proactive and full of fun – the people adore him already,” Fr McDonough said.
The eldest of five children, Phi was born in 1988 and grew up in an impoverished rural community where many adults bore the scars of war. At the age of six he went to live with his aunt in Buon Ma Thuot City, making him “half country and half city boy”.
He lived with his aunt’s family for nine years during which time he said he participated in “every catechism class”.
“I mean the entire parish/diocese catechism program,” he said.
“When I was 10, I became an altar boy for the cathedral parish of Ban Me Thuot Diocese for five years.
“Most of the time, along with my first cousin, we walked to the church around 4.30am since the Mass started at 5am.”
Despite his religious upbringing, he had no plans for a vocation when he moved to Saigon in 2004.
Phi began studying electrical engineering at university and was working as an air conditioner repair person when he was introduced by another aunt, a nun of the Lover of Holy Cross of Dalat, to some priests from the Congregation of St John the Baptist. He joined the order and was living with the Congregation in the Philippines when he chose to leave.
“After three years I realised that my vocation did not belong to this order, so I decided to leave, even though I was vested as a novice for a couple of months,” he said.
Fr Phi said he could tell his parents were disappointed, but the rigidness of the order “didn’t suit my personality”.
After a week resting with his family he returned to Saigon and began working at his cousin’s coffee shop.
Knowing that Phi hadn’t given up on the idea of becoming a priest, his cousin introduced him to a Brother from the Passionist Congregation which was relatively new to Vietnam.
Fr Phi said when he met the Brother, one of the first Vietnamese Passionists, he noticed he was wearing a polo top and asked if it would be okay for him to wear jeans in the seminary. The priest simply said ‘well look at me’.
So at the age of 26 he joined the Passionists.
“Lucky me…I was accepted as a come-and-see student for some months before I was moved into the student community at the beginning of September 2014. The rest is history.”
After three years studying philosophy at the Jesuit seminary in Ho Chi Minh, he spent a year at the novitiate in Adelaide and then returned to Vietnam to study theology. At the beginning of his last year of studies Fr Tom organised for him to transfer to Melbourne where he completed his final year of theology at the Yarra Theological Union in Melbourne, while living with the Passionists at Templestowe.
Fr Phi said his path to priesthood was “full of challenges”.
“There were times when I thought I was almost there, but God had other plans for me. I feel lucky because I received a lot of love and support throughout my vocation journey, especially when I stumbled.”
He is full of gratitude to Fr McDonough and his Fr Brian Traynor CP, the Superior of the student house in Melbourne, for the way they looked after the seminarians and younger priests.
“They have inspired me a lot along the way,” he said.
“Our culture in Vietnam is hierarchical, when you’ve been ordained you’re elevated, but when I came to Melbourne Fr Tom, who was the one who bought me out from Vietnam, and Fr Brian, they made me feel I am cared for.
“They have taught me how to respect others with dignity, regardless of your age or gender.”
Asked what he was most looking forward to about being a priest, he said “I want to be a good person before becoming a good priest”.
“Others see me as a priest one or two hours a day but most of the time I am a person, so I just want to be a good person,” he explained.
Fr Phi’s parents travelled to Adelaide, along with many friends and relatives from Vietnam and Melbourne, for the ordination.
He will continue to serve at St Paul of the Cross for at least 12 months.
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