Rev. Tuyen Nguyen, Pastor

Father Tuyen Van Nguyen was born and raised in Vietnam. He left Vietnam and came to the United States in 1982. He was ordained a priest in 1987 for the Diocese of Orange. For the past 29 years, he had been assigned as Parochial Vicar to 4 parishes before he was assigned as pastor of St. Callistus. All of his assignments are multicultural parishes where some Masses in Vietnamese are offered for Vietnamese parishioners. Father Nguyen is fluent in Vietnamese. He knows the Vietnamese customs and traditions. As pastor, he has successfully brought the Vietnamese presence into the activities of the parish. He empowers his people to own and to take leadership in the parish. He believes in people, respects their cultures, and invites them to integrate by sharing time, talents, and gifts with one another for God and for the Church.

Fr. Tuyen Van Nguyen was born on April 4, 1954, in the North of Vietnam. His parents brought him to the South of Vietnam in 1954. From 1966-1980, he entered St. Phung and St. Theresa., St. Thomas Seminaries for the Diocese of Long Xuyen, Vietnam. In 1980, he tried to escape Vietnam and he was captured and put to jail for a year.

In 1981, he successfully escaped Vietnam to the Philippines. On June 25, 1982, he came to Orange County, California.

In September, 1984, he reentered St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, Los Angeles. In May, 1987, Cardinal Roger Mahoney ordained him to the diaconate. On Oct. 3rd, 1987, late Bishop Norman F. McFarland ordained him to the priesthood.

1987-1991 - St. Boniface, Anaheim
1991-1997 - St. Barbara, Santa Ana
1997-2001 - St. Cecilia, Tustin
2001-2003 - Blessed Sacrament Church, Westminster
2003-2013 - St. Callistus, Garden Grove
2013-2016 - Christ Cathedral, Garden Grove
2016-current - Blessed Sacrament Church, Westminster