Embrace from CTK Small Group Community Leads Father Tran to Priesthood

Father Huy Duc Tran, 29, entered college at LSU with dreams about the diverse experiences of college life he would have and landing a successful career. Through the influence of Christ the King Parish and Catholic Center (CTK) at LSU, he found much more. He developed the strong relationship with the Lord he had always wanted and answered a deeply meaningful call to the priesthood.

Bishop Michael G. Duca ordained Father Tran and Father Josh Zelden to the priesthood on June 14 at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge.

Father Tran was born in Vietnam, but his parents moved to Metairie when he was five years old. He was raised in the Catholic Church, but didn’t have a strong relationship with the Lord as a youth.

“I would rather go play video games or sports or hang out with my friends than go to church,” Father Tran said.

That changed when he started attending LSU and was introduced to CTK.

Up until his sophomore year, Father Tran went to Mass because it was “the thing to do” since his parents had taken him to church on Sundays.

Father Tran said his freshman year was miserable because his expectations about college life were not met.

“(I asked myself) ‘Why am I getting out of bed in the morning? What’s my purpose in life?  I don’t have any drive.”
Top right photo: Bishop G. Duca anoints Father Tran’s hands for the duties of priesthood. Photos by Abry Larryison | Director, Office of Digital Media Diocese of Baton Rouge
Above photo: Father Tran blesses Bishop Duca
Before the start of his sophomore year, CTK had a Sign-Up Sunday. Students were given information about various ways they could become involved at the church and indicated their interest in specific ones by giving their contact information.

Father Tran decided to “give it a shot” and signed up for a small group Bible study.

“It was something different. It was led by my peers … and by all external measures, we were more or less living the same life … going to class, paying the rent, boyfriend/girlfriend troubles. But they were happy. They had a certain factor that was attractive about them. It wasn’t that we read anything in the Bible or shared anything that was particularly profound that struck me. It was the witness of their lives.”

The meetings soon became the highlight of the week for Father Tran, and he found himself coming early and staying later after the meetings.

Father Tran said without realizing it he was questioning what others in the peer group “had” that “he did not have.”

Through his experiences with the small group, Father Tran slowly realized that God is real and that he loved him.

Father Tran “branched out” and became a member of the whole CTK community and found “new life” in Christ. He also attended daily Mass at CTK and nearby parishes.

While at the Masses, people often asked him if he had thought about becoming a priest. He politely answered, “No I haven’t,” and pushed it out of his mind.

“I was really in love with this one girl and wanting to chase after her during my time at CTK,” said Father Tran. His pursuit of her did not work out.

He vividly remembers Father Andrew Merrick, then CTK pastor and director of vocations for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, asking him if he had thought about becoming a priest.
In the summer of 2018, Father Tran stayed at LSU and was “on a mountaintop experience” in prayer and the Lord was flooding his heart with his love for him. He found himself daydreaming about being a priest, celebrating Mass, hearing confessions, giving homilies, and accompanying people.

“I couldn’t shake it off. (I thought) No, Lord, that’s not for me. I don’t want it. I just kept shoving it off,” said Father Tran.    

He read vocational stories in The Catholic Commentator archive files about priests he knew and admired, including Father Reuben Dykes, Father Josh Johnson, Father Andrew Merrick, and more.

“I was really moved by their stories. I got to the point that I admitted to myself, Okay, there’s a part of me that wants to be a priest. 

He had discovered that he had fallen in love with the Lord and began striving for the holiness to become the man God wanted him to become. 

“My heart was now wanting what God wanted … my heart beating like his heart,” said Father Tran.

He told his fellow students about his interest in becoming a priest, and they were happy and supported him. In the spring of his senior year in 2019, Father Tran applied to enter seminary.

The best advice Father Tran received for going through the discernment process came from Father Merrick: You are pursuing Jesus Christ first and foremost, and wherever he is, you need to be. If you’re doing that, you will naturally step into your vocation.

Father Tran’s extended family came in from Vietnam to be present at his ordination. He has fallen in love with the Diocese of Baton Rouge and is gung ho about serving the church here.

“(With the) quality of men we have here as our priests, I am looking forward to participating in the mission of sharing the Gospel with these brothers,” said Father Tran.