This week we meet second-year Melbourne seminarian, Tien Tran.
What is your favourite food?
Sunday Roast (beef and lamb)
What is your favourite drink?
Coffee
What is your favourite movie?
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
What is your favourite TV or radio show?
Mrs Brown’s Boys
What are your hobbies?
Playing soccer and travel.
What is your favourite country in the world?
Australia
Which countries do you want to visit in the future?
Italy, France, England, Nepal, Brazil…
If you were lost on an island and could only have three items with you, what would you take?
A knife, lighter and whiskey.
If you could invite any three people in the world to dinner, who would they be?
My best friend, Mr Bean and Pope Francis.
What is your favourite Aussie Slang?
‘Big smoke’
Who is your favourite saint?
St Francis of Assisi
What is your favourite scripture passage?
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside still waters;
He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23: 1-2)
What was your profession prior to joining the seminary?
I was a student doing International Trade at Holmesglen TAFE. Along those years, I worked as a part-time assistant sacristan at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
What was your home parish?
I’ve been in Melbourne for 5 years now, from Vietnam. I was always involved at St. Patrick’s Cathedral prior to entering the seminary so see it as my home parish.
The deep and meaningful
Why did you decide to become a priest?
This is one of the ‘good questions’ as I have to think for a while before anyone asks me so that I can give an answer.
I am fortunate enough to know many wonderful priests while I was working at the Cathedral. Their kindness and love for people touched me deeply. It developed within me a sense of ‘calling’ to follow the priesthood. Through prayers and discernment, I decided to give it a go.
Which priest/s have had the biggest influence in your life and on your vocation?
A priest (allow me not to name him) that I got to know for a couple of years and having him as a friend influenced first my life and then my vocation. He was the first person that I talked to when I was thinking seriously about becoming a priest.
Why did you decide to study for the priesthood at Corpus Christi College?
I came to Australia when I was 18 and having spent my first couple of ‘independent years’ in Melbourne, I fell in love with the city and the people here. For that reason I want to be a priest for the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Tien Tran (right) pictured with fellow second-year Allan Aclan (left). Picture: Jackson Saunders.