Have you done anything so far in order to welcome the World
Youth Day 2008?
N
guyệt
San Dân Chúa Úc Châu (NsDCUC) would like to thank Thanh
Thao, Loc, Jessica, and Philip, for accepting to be interviewed
for the July, 2008 issue of Magazine Populus Dei (Nguyệt San Dân
Chúa) featuring Vietnamese Youth in general and the Word Youth
Day 2008 in Sydney in particular. Please introduce yourselves
and your activities in your parishes to the readers of the
Magazine.
Annie Thanh Thao
Nguyen
• My name is Annie
Thanh Thao Nguyen. I am 22 years old, born and raised in Perth,
Western Australia. Over the last nine months I’ve become
seriously involved with the Vietnamese Catholic church by
committing myself as a leader of the “Vietnamese Catholic Youth
Ministry” (VCYM).
Thai Phuoc Loc
• My name is Thai
Phuoc Loc. I belong to Vietnamese Catholic Community in Adelaide
and I am a member of the Eucharistic group.
Jessica Ngo
• My name is
Jessica Ngo. I belong to Vietnamese Catholic Community, Western
Australia. I am a member of the Sunday choir.
Phillip Truong
• My name is
Phillip Truong. I belong to the Vietnamese Catholic Community of
Perth, Western Australia. I am part of the leadership Vietnamese
Catholic Youth Ministry (VYCM) for the Catholic youths in our
parish.
NsDCUC:
As Vietnamese youth, what are your thoughts of the World Youth
Day 2008 in Sydney? What attractive you to attend World Youth
Day 2008? What purpose do you think the World Youth Day serves?
• Annie Thanh
Thao Nguyen: It is a great experience to not only build upon
the connection I have with God and my faith but to see the Pope,
and to meet others from around the world. About attractive, I
believe the church organised a group
to go, this made it a lot easier to become a part of the event.
About purpose, I believe it enables each one of us to get closer
to God and to identify ourselves as children of God.
• Thai Phuoc Loc:
My thought regarding WYD2008 is that it is an amazing
opportunity for young people all around the world to show their
feelings regarding their faith in God.
• Jessica Ngo:
I think that World Youth Day is a great event because it gathers
all the youth together in one place, so that we can all relate
with one another. I just thought it would be a good opportunity
to go on a pilgrimage and become closer to God.
• Phillip Truong:
I think the World Youth Day is a once in a life time experience,
and it is a privilege to have it held in our own backyard. The
thought of getting maybe a chance to meet the pope is such an
awesome thing and being in the same place praying with millions
of Christians around the world, shows how gracious our God is.
Personally I think the WYD will send out a message to the whole
world that with the power of prayer and passionate young people
in the world we can make a difference.
NsDCUC:
Have you done anything so far in order to welcome the World
Youth Day 2008?
• Annie Thanh
Thao Nguyen: I helped out with the Youth mass, helped
organise meetings for the Perth group to go to Sydney and
participated in the welcoming of the WYD icon and cross in
Perth.
• Thai Phuoc Loc:I have attended a few functions to prepare for WYD2008.
• Jessica Ngo:
I went to see the cross and icon, had a WYD mass within the
community and we are doing a performance in Sydney, so we have
been practicing every weekend for the past month or so.
• Phillip Truong:
Yes, with friends, we welcomed the Cross and Icon to our lovely
shores back in May. I was one of many that helped carried the
cross, it was such an honor.
NsDCUC:
Once you have participated in the World Youth Day 2008 in
Sydney, do you think your lives in general would be different?
• Annie Thanh
Thao Nguyen: Yes, it will enable me to re-ignite my faith;
therefore, I will be able to continue my journey of faith from
having that experience.
• Thai Phuoc Loc:
I’m not sure regarding the implications for my life in general
after attending WYD2008. I’m sure that there will be parts of my
life that will be impacted by participating in WYD2008, in
general a greater appreciation that there are many people in the
world that share the same passions and goals in life as I do.
• Jessica Ngo:
Yes, I think it would be.
• Phillip Truong:
I hope so. I hope it makes me to become a better Christian and
servant of GOD.
NsDCUC:
No doubt you have seen that not many young people are attending
the Sunday liturgy, and it seems that this phenomenon continues
to spread throughout Australia. According to you, why do young
people decide not to attend Sunday Liturgy anymore?
• Annie Thanh
Thao Nguyen: I think it’s because they have a lack of
understanding of the Bible. Young people nowadays are too
materialistic, and that’s why there’s a lack of enthusiasm
towards spiritual development.
• Thai Phuoc Loc:
In this day and age, religion doesn’t seem to have a place among
society any more. I believe that as people become increasingly
busy, religious habits become questioned and at the end of the
day, disappear.
• Jessica Ngo:
I go to the Vietnamese Community Church, and as the generations
go on, less younger people are going into the Vietnamese
community. Also because some younger people tend to go out on a
Saturday night and cannot wake up the morning after to get to
church.
• Phillip Truong:
For me, it is quite sad to see many youths not participating and
attending Mass. We as Christians should rely on God always and
thank Him for all that He has done for us. Attending Mass on
Sundays lets me learn more about GOD and develop a personal
relationship with GOD.
NsDCUC:
What are the difficulties that you have encountered or
experienced so far in society and also at home as a
Vietnamese-Australian?
• Annie Thanh
Thao Nguyen: The major encounter is the cultural
differences. For example, my parents expect a certain level of
respect. From growing up in a modern society, even though I
don’t intend to disrespect them, sometimes I do forget that
there is a certain level that I must show. Therefore, it is
harder these days to maintain that cultural importance of
respect and not to be too easily influenced by other people who
don’t share the same culture.
• Thai Phuoc Loc:
Fortunately, I have been very lucky to have experienced very few
difficulties in society and at home as a Vietnamese-Australian.
The most challenging thing I have had to overcome is the
expectations that are put on myself and where I want to be.
• Phillip Truong:
Personally I haven’t encountered any bad experiences from the
society I live in, and I thank God for that, but wouldn’t it be
nice if there was no hatred in the world?
NsDCUC:
Are your parents supportive? What do you expect your parents to
do for you?
• Annie Thanh
Thao Nguyen: Yes, especially my dad. I don’t expect much
from them, the least I would expect is for them to be able to
share their understanding in order to help me with my spiritual
development.
• Thai Phuoc Loc:
My parents are as supportive as possible. At this point in time,
I don’t expect my parentsto do too much for me any more
but rather, be a support in case I need it.
• Jessica Ngo:
Yes, my parents are very supportive of my decisions, as long as
they are the right decisions. I don’t expect much of my parents,
as long as they love and care for me I’m happy.
• Phillip Truong:
Yes, my parents are very supportive. They were the ones who
introduced me to GOD, from the first day I was born. My parents
have done more than enough for me and my brothers. All I ask now
is that they pray for me and the people I love.
NsDCUC:
What do you expect the priest and the parish council in your
parish to do for you?
• Annie Thanh
Thao Nguyen: Be supportive towards the younger generation;
help the youth group to make the church more appealing, help to
fund ideas and projects that would be beneficial.
• Thai Phuoc Loc:
To be honest, the priest, parish council and my parish in
general have given me opportunities that would not have been
there had I not been involved. In terms of what I expect, I
don’t believe I expect anything from them.
• Jessica Ngo:
Nothing is really expected from them, just to be a happy and
cheerful parish.
• Phillip Truong:
I ask them to pray for my family and my girlfriend’s family and
all my friends.
NsDCUC:
What can you contribute to your parish so the parish would
become a more attractive place for young people?
• Annie Thanh
Thao Nguyen: By becoming involved with the “Vietnamese
Catholic Youth Ministry”, I have contributed my enthusiasm,
efforts as well as my ideas, so that I can reach other youths in
the community. For example, I share my experiences and
involvement with the church to other young people, and I feel it
makes them excited as well as opens up their minds as to what’s
happening in the church and it enables them to feel more welcome
in the community.
• Thai Phuoc Loc:
At this point in time, I’m not sure what I could contribute to
the parish to become a more attractive place for young people.
Maybe, in the future, I hope I can do something but at this
point in time, I have no idea.
• Jessica Ngo:
Have more English parts to the mass, or have another section for
the youth. Have more gatherings or get to know each other days.
• Phillip Truong:
My Youth group is still young, but we are striving our best to
serve GOD and bring the good news to other young people in the
future.
NsDCUC:
Again, thank you Thao, Loc, Jessica, and Phillip for your
enthusiastic and genuine answers, in particular your efforts,
times, for I know that at this moment you all are very busy with
final exams and preparations for the World Youth Day 2008… May
God bless you, your activities in your parishes and the World
Youth Day in Sydney. Before we end our conversations, do you
have anything else that you would like to share with the reader
of Nguyệt san Dân Chúa Úc Châu?
• Annie Thanh
Thao Nguyen: There are youths out there who are practicing
their faith, there are some who are ignorant, and there are
those who feel that they are not worthy to be part of the
church. It is up to each one of us NOT to judge or
criticise them but to pray for them so
that God can enter their lives and show them the right path to
follow.
• Phillip Truong:
My parents and extended family are regular readers of your
magazine… Keep up the good work guys and gals! God bless.
