“Let us keep him in our prayers and support him in this work of leadership service,” said the current Provincial, Fr Mel Trinidad, announcing his appointment to the Salesians of SUO. “Fr Joe, thank you for saying ‘YES’ to the call of the Holy Spirit to be Don Bosco among us. May God bless you, the SUO province, the young people and their families we serve, the Salesian Family, and all those who partner with us in the mission.”
A Salesian with extensive international preparation, Joseph Thinh Nguyen was born in Dalat, Vietnam, on 17 June 1970, but after completing his novitiate in Rome, Italy, at the Marchesa Teresa Gerini house, he undertook the rest of his formation in the United States. He has been a professed Salesian since 15 August 1994, took his perpetual vows on 15 August 2000 in Bellflower, near Los Angeles, and was ordained a priest in the same city on 30 May 2003.
Within the province’s communities, he was first in Watsonville, serving as Councillor (2005–09), then in Bellflower, at the St John Bosco house, serving as Director from 2009 to 2016. Since 2018, he has been serving the SUO novices in the Richmond community, also in California.
As for his roles at Provincial level, he served as Councillor from 2013 to 2016 and as Delegate for Formation between 2022 and 2023.
