Father Luke Nguyễn
Father Luke Nguyễn is currently a Priest at the St. Anthony’s & St. Pius X Catholic Church in Lafitte, Louisiana, but he was previously at the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church in New Orleans East. He is a prominent leader in the Vietnamese community, as the Catholic Church is an important piece of Vietnamese culture. He played a critical role in rebuilding and welcoming people back to the community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, demonstrating his dedication and trust in the Vietnamese community in New Orleans East.
Timeline of Father Luke’s Life
1975
Father Luke finished 6th grade in La Habra, California
He then attended high school in Tustin, California at Tustin High School.
1981
Father Luke went back to California to be with his mother and sisters and finish college.
He worked as a dry cleaner and other jobs to support himself
1992
1998
Father Luke finished his studies in theology and was ordained to become a Priest.
His first assignment as a Priest was at St. Charles Borromeo in Destrehan, Louisiana.
Father Luke finished college at Cal State Fullerton.
He then moved to New Orleans and enrolled at the Notre Dame Seminary to study to become a Priest.
2002
2004
Father Luke finished his time at St Charles Borromeo and was reassigned to Mary Queen of Vietnam Catholic Church in New Orleans East
August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit.
In October, Father Luke was amongst the first group of people to return to the New Orleans area after the storm. The government hadn’t told people it was safe to come back yet. There was no power, no running water, no resources at all.
2005
2009
Father Luke was reassigned to St. Ann’s Church in Metairie, Louisiana.
He was not there for a very long time because Father Luke returned to California for some time when his mom passed away.
Father Luke came back to Lousiana and was assigned to Our Lady of Lourdes in Slidell.
2011
2017
After 6 years, Father Luke was reassigned again to the St. Anthony’s and St. Pius X Catholic Church in Lafitte, Lousiana.
2021
Hurricane Ida hit and devasted his community once again, this time in Lafitte.
Father Luke had been prepared for an event like this because of his experience with Hurricane Katrina and was able to help his community recover.
2024
Father Luke was 11 years old when he and his grandmother left Vietnam to come to the US.
They spent a few months in Guam to get their identifications in order.
Then they spent a few months at Fort Chaffee in Arkansas.
Father Luke then spent time at Camp Pendleton in San Diego.
Father Luke was sponsored and moved to Garden Grove, California where he finished 4th and 5th grade.
1977
Father Luke graduated from Tustin High School.
He then left California to go to the Congregation of The Mother Co-Redemptrix in Missouri to become a monk.
He spent 12 years there.
Father Luke is now being relocated in July 2024 to Folsom, Louisiana.
“…during Katrina, the church was the center of the community. It is the glue that holds the people together.”
Interviewer: Can you tell me about what drew you to become a Priest?
Father Luke: When I was young, my grandmother always took me to Church. She would wake me up every day at 5 a.m. when I was seven or eight years old. Every day I saw the priest preside over the congregation, and he wore the black cassock. I said, “I want to wear that one day”. So that is where I learned I wanted to become a priest. That desire to become a priest was immature, but it stuck in me until I was in junior high and decided to enter religious life in Carthage, Missouri.
Interviewer: What role do community elders play in the Church community?
They play the role of history and of leadership, of transition. The generation that came over in 1975 worked hard to build up their families, to achieve, to have money, and provide. They wanted to give their children and future generations a better life. They play the role of providers and work very hard so that they can become fishermen, convenient store owners, and business owners. They teach their children how to work hard and be successful in life.
Interviewer: How do you feel you have become a leader in your community? How do you engage with the community outside of Church?
Father Luke: The priest is the leader of prayer, first and foremost. The priest is the leader of direction. He is the mediator and personifies Christ. The priest asks for God’s blessing and pours it upon the people. The church, along with houses in the community, was flooded after Hurricane Ida. People coming back to the city wanted to come check on their houses. And I knew from experience, the best thing I could do was prepare for distribution of food, water, and resources so that they can rebuild. It depends on the leader to open the church space for distribution.
Interviewer: How were you able to instill faith in the community during times that seem hopeless such as Hurricane Katrina?
I am always reminded that it is only natural. God is in control and he is watching us, so have faith. Imagine, in Katrina, during the first week of October we had about seventy people come back, the second week we had two or three hundred, the third week we had eight hundred. In disasters we can pray, but let God do the rest. Our faith is God knows and God understands our struggles.
View our full interview with Father Luke here! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KJK1mwEegNL1c4I_3EZxDWkiAq7m8LINStZBnyRj-7w/edit?usp=sharing
“The first generation of Vietnamese in New Orleans East have very solid faith and always turn to God. All the elderly people go to Church every day, sometimes twice. We are a grateful people, we cannot be anything else. If we are the receiver and God is the giver, we owe God our lives and our worship. My presence at church is an expression of my thanks.”
— Father Luke