Vocation Stories

Meet Bro. Tuan Anh Le OSA as he shares his vocation story and his journey with the Augustinians.

While still at university in Vietnam, as many other friends, I was thinking of studying, getting a good job after graduation and of course afterwards getting married. Living and studying far from home in a busy and bustling city, however, I was grateful for being able to live near the churches where my Catholic faith had continued to be nurtured and nourished. There I had the chance to participate in a small Catholic Youth Group where I found a lot of joy and peace. There I also had the chance to meet some religious brothers and sisters whom I found very friendly and welcoming. All these things somehow attracted me to the religious life. On one morning of my second year at uni, I unexpectedly received a call from a friend, asking if I wanted to see some Augustinian priests. I was thinking "who on earth are they?" But I said to myself: "just go and see!" because I also wanted to know a bit more about the religious life. After that meeting, we agreed to meet on some other occasions during my years at uni. My years at uni was the time for me to discern my vocation, especially to join an "unfamiliar" religious Order in a different country with all different things. Through my regular meetings with some Augustinians, and with their openness and friendship I was inspired to know even more about the Augustinian way of life. I was also impressed by the story of Saint Augustine whom I can somehow relate to, and through whom I could learn how to deepen my relationship with God and others.