Bellarmine Welcomes Jesuit Novice TA Nguyen

You may see him around campus in classrooms, hallways, or conversations with students and staff, listening, learning, and sharing in the life of the school. As a novice, his time at Bellarmine is an opportunity for mutual encounter: for him to grow in his vocation and for our community to benefit from his presence, curiosity, and care. In this spotlight, he shares a bit about his journey into the Jesuit novitiate, what he hopes to learn while at Bellarmine, and what has already stood out to him about our community.

 

A lot of things but overall, to do the most good I can with my life. To me, that is the mark of a successful, well-lived life. The novitiate has been an adventurous time for me—I’ve spent 30 days in silence praying the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola deepening my relationship with Christ, spent a month begging on the streets of New Orleans with only $20 in my pocket to radically trust in God, and prayed with patients in their most vulnerable moments as a hospital chaplain to learn to trust in the Spirit working through me. I’ve gotten a better picture of how God works in this world and my idea of Him has changed (for the better) over the past year and so months. 

I want to identify what about Bellarmine keeps faculty and staff here for so long and learn how to make an impact in students’ formative years and form not just bright young people but bright young loving people in our world. I also hope to learn how to better connect with and accompany the youth of today.

I hope to be even more inspired to do high school work because the mission of Jesuit secondary education plays a vital role in the formation of good young men and women around the world. Setting up Jesuit schools in developing countries and refugee centers is also a small dream of mine so perhaps Bellarmine could help fan that flame in me. 

I could see from day one the care or cariño the faculty and staff have for the students. Doors are open and they are ready to welcome any student who needs a listening ear. (Seriously, students, take them up on that). It’s a big school with a small school feel because of that strong sense of community and cariño.

I enjoy boxing, making new friends, playing video games, and watching movies and silly TV shows like The Good Place or The Office.