Dominic Mai Thanh Lương

Styles of
Dominic Mai Luong
Reference style The Most Reverend
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Bishop
Coat of Arms of Dominic Mai Thanh Lương

Dominic Mai Thanh Lương (born December 20, 1940) is a Vietnamese-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Orange from 2003 to 2015.

Early life and education

Dominic Luong was born near Hanoi on December 20, 1940, the youngest of nine children.[1] His father worked as a real estate notary.[1] He received his early education at a French Vietnamese elementary school, and afterwards attended Holy Family Seminary High School.[2] In 1954, he left home against his father's wishes to enter a seminary in Saigon.[3] In 1956, he was sent by the Bishop of Da Nang to continue his studies in the United States, where he enrolled at a diocesan seminary in Buffalo, New York, two years later.[3] He completed his philosophical and theological studies at St. Bernard's Seminary in Rochester.[2]

Priesthood

Luong was ordained to the priesthood on May 21, 1966.[4] Although he was ordained for the Diocese of Da Nang, the increasing violence of the Vietnam War prevented him from returning to his native country.[2] He pursued postgraduate studies at Canisius College in Buffalo, where he earned a master of science degree in biology and psychology in 1967.[1] He then served as a chaplain at a hospital in Buffalo until 1975, when he became a curate at St. Louis Church, also in Buffalo.[2]

In 1976, Luong was incardinated in the Archdiocese of New Orleans at the invitation of Archbishop Philip Hannan, who assigned him to the spiritual care of Vietnamese refugees in southern Louisiana.[4] He became an American citizen the following year.[1] He served as director of the Vietnamese Apostolate from 1976 to 1983, and was named pastor of Mary Queen of Vietnam Church in New Orleans in 1983.[2] In addition to his pastoral duties, he became rector of the Vietnamese Martyrs Chapel in 1986 and director of the National Center for the Vietnamese Apostolate in 1989.[2] He was made a monsignor in 1986, and served as a member of the archdiocesan priests' council (1987-92) and dean of New Orleans East (2002-03).[2]

Episcopacy

On April 25, 2003, Luong was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Orange, California, and titular bishop of Cebarades by Pope John Paul II.[4] He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 11 from Bishop Tod David Brown, with Archbishop Alfred Clifton Hughes and Bishop Jaime Soto serving as co-consecrators.[4] He selected as his episcopal motto: "You Are Strangers And Aliens No Longer" (Ephesians 2:19).[5]

Luong has been an outspoken proponent for the rights of Catholics in Vietnam.[6]

The Vatican announced that his resignation was accepted on December 20, 2015, his 75th birthday.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lobdell, William and Mai Tran (2003-05-17). "In O.C., a Bishop Into the Breach". Los Angeles Times.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Auxiliary Bishop Luong". Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange.
  3. 1 2 "MSGR. DOMINIC LUONG COLLECTION". University of New Orleans.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Bishop Dominic Mai Luong". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
  5. ↑ "Bishop Luong's Coat of Arms". Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange.
  6. ↑ Catholic News Agency: "Orange County bishop says Vietnamese Catholic Church will outlive its struggles" January 31, 2011
  7. ↑ "Rinunce e nomine" (in Italian). Vatican News Service. December 20, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
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