The Center for Ignatian Spirituality - Viet Nam

13/10/2024

Three years ago (2020), a number of bishops and religious superiors asked CIS to develop a long-term program that would train their formators in the best models of contemporary formation. At their request, CIS now offers the four-month-long program of On-going Formation for Formators. This week, two doctors provided four days of instruction to 20 students from all over Vietnam. Topics focused on human s*xuality, male & female reproductive health & how to talk with young members in formation in a meaningful way about s*x.

Due to the present state of Vietnamese health care, there is limited opportunity for people to establish a relationship with a doctor, or to see the same doctor more than once. So, the four days that Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha from the National Medical University, HCM City, and Dr. Le Hoang Sang from Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine were of great value. Both doctors spoke with depth, capability and humility, and gave significant time for Q&A.

All presentations were made to the entire group except for one afternoon when Dr. Ha met with the women and Dr. Sang met with the men to discuss issues specific to each gender.

Link of the article: https://en.trungtamlinhdaoinhadaclo.com/cis-on-going-formation-human-s*xuality

07/09/2024

5th OPENING FOR CIS - 2024

Aesop, the Greek philosopher & writer of the 6th Century BC, wrote the fable of the Turtle and the Rabbit, a story universally popular with children of every era and country. Aesop often used the number five “5” as a lucky number and good fortune for the characters in his many fables such as The Ants & the Grasshopper and The Dog & the Wolf. On September 4th, the Center for Ignatian Spirituality of the Jesuit Vietnam Province celebrated its “5th” year of service with a Mass and welcome ceremony with new program participants at Peter Favre retreat center in Ho Nai. The 5th year event provided a prayerful and joyful start to the new academic year. And we hope, a year of good fortune!

The Program in Spiritual Accompaniment and Giving of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises runs for eight months program and On-going Formation runs for four months. Both are full time and centered at CIS at Dac Lo Center. Participants of both programs – diocesan priest, members of religious communities and lay persons live in Saigon for their time at CIS.

Video of the event: https://youtu.be/wZYfsare5vQ

28/08/2024

Fr. Julio Giulietti, SJ, is a long-time friend and instructor with CIS. He teaches in the programs On-going Formation for Formators, and the Accompany Program, and with weekend-long courses. Recently, his work with CIS was highligted in the American Jesuit magazine JESUITS. Fr. Julio writes of how three Vietnamese doctors offer their excellent medical knowledge to the participants of the On-going Formation program. Drs. Ha, Hoand and Sang are Buddhist. Their style of caring for CIS students reminds Fr. Julio of the parable of the Sheep and the Goats in the 25th chapter of Matthew's Gospel (25:31-46). Thus, Fr. Julio calls them Matthew 25 Doctos. They give of their time, knowledge and love freely for the purpose of helping our students better to understand themselves. In turn, our participants will share what they have learned with the young religious they care for. Vietnamese Doctors Ha, Hoang and Sang, are certainly “blessed of my Father” and will be invited to enter the Kingdom for the good work they do with no thought of reward, heavenly or other.

Link to the article: https://en.trungtamlinhdaoinhadaclo.com/the-matthew-25-doctors

26/08/2024

CIS CONTRIBUTES TO THE 2024 DIOCESAN PRIESTS' RETREAT IN THANH HÓA
On August 19, 2024, the Diocese of Thanh Hóa began its annual Priests' Retreat with the theme: Learning About Accompaniment Spirituality. This year's retreat is graced by the presence of Bishop Joseph Nguyễn Đức Cường of the Diocese of Thanh Hóa, along with more than 200 priests and deacons from the diocese.
With the theme of Learning About Accompaniment Spirituality, the retreat will take place over three days, from the afternoon of August 19, 2024, to August 22, 2024. Each day will feature a different speaker from CIS presenting a small topic related to the main theme.
On the first day, Father Dominic Nguyễn Đức Hạnh, SJ, Director of the Ignatian Spirituality Center, will present on the theme of the retreat, focusing on the Creation story in the Bible.
On the second day, Master - Doctor Nguyễn Lan Hải will discuss the topic of LGBTQ, which stands for le***an, gay, bis*xual, transgender, and questioning.
On the final day, Doctor Nguyễn Minh Tiến will present on the topic “Rewriting the Story of One’s Life.

Link of the post: https://en.trungtamlinhdaoinhadaclo.com/cis-contributes-to-the-2024-diocesan-priests-retreat-in-thanh-hoa

20/08/2024

CIS Contributes to the Annual Conference of Diocesan Seminaries in Vietnam
“Homos*xuality From a Scientific and Faith Perspective in Priestly Formation in Vietnam.”
August 5-8, 2024

"In relation to persons with homos*xual tendencies who seek admission to Seminary, or discover such a situation in the course of formation, consistent with her own Magisterium …" (Ratio, No. 199)(*).
Recalling the introduction to Nos. 199, 200, and 201 of Ratio to highlight the Church's particular concerns about homos*xuality in the formation of priests today. There is an increasingly discussed reality within the Vietnamese Church, which significantly impacts many areas of life including religious life, priesthood and the vocations in general. To better understand these issues, the 2024 Annual Conference of Diocesan Seminaries in Vietnam was held at the Pastoral Center of the Diocese of Nha Trang from August 5- 8, 2024, with the theme: "Homos*xuality From a Scientific and Faith Perspective in Priestly Formation in Vietnam."
This year's conference brought together nearly 60 formators, including Bishop Joseph Đỗ Quang Khang, President of the Priestly Formation Committee; Father Joseph Phạm Văn Trọng, Secretary of the Priestly Formation Committee; as well as directors, vice-directors, and faculty members from 11 diocesan seminaries across dioceses in Vietnam.
On the first day of the conference, the assembly gathered for Mass and orientation. On the second and third days, the assembly listened, studied and discuss questions related to 6 presentation topics. The first three topics were presented by the CIS Director, two psychologists and a law collaborating all with CIS:

• Topic 1: Rewriting the Life Story. By Dr. Nguyễn Minh Tiến
• Topic 2: Homos*xuality and the Vocation to Religious Life. By Dr. Teresa Nguyễn Lan Hải
• Topic 3: Accompaniment – Conditions, Advantages and Challenges. By Father Dominic Nguyễn Đức Hạnh, SJ, CIS Director
• Topic 4: Sexual Diversity. By Dr. Maria Huỳnh Đoàn Phương Trúc
• Topic 5: Male Homos*xuality From a Gender Medicine Perspective. By Dr. Trần Phương Thảo
• Topic 6: My Journey – Beyond Conflict to Fulfillment. By Mr. Thạc sĩ Dương Trần Minh Đoàn

On the afternoon of the third day, the entire conference evaluated the work and summarized the results achieved over the past few days.

(*) Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis - 2016

25/01/2024

https://en.trungtamlinhdaoinhadaclo.com/introduce-center-for-ignatian-spirituality

Listening closely to the words of another – and to discern the deeper meaning of those words – is critically important for a spiritual accompanier. It is a skill that the Desert Fathers and Mothers discovered and developed in the Fourth Century. Those great men and women of the Church knew that ...

25/01/2024

2024 Lent Retreat (online via Zoom)
We would like to invite participants to join 2024 Lent Retreat (online via Zoom) with topic “CARRY ON…”
Conducted by Center for Ignatian Spirituality (CIS)
Time: 04 – 08 Mar 2024 (7:00PM – 9:00PM) VNT: GMT+7

20/12/2023

Formation for The Formators Program - 2023 has concluded splendidly with abundant fruits. CIS would like to share with you a short video illustrating some highlights of what we have learned, prayed for, lived, and worked together over the past three and a half months.