Spirit of the Spiritans

Spiritans stand before the Spiritan Center House in Hoc Mon, Vietnam. (courtesy photo/Missions Office of the Diocese of Fort Worth)

In 2025, the Spiritans (officially Congregation of the Holy Spirit) visited Vietnamese Martyrs Parish in Arlington, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Abbott, and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Penelope.

The Spiritan presence in Vietnam began in 2007 with the arrival of the first missionaries sent to establish the foundation of the Congregation. These efforts are paying large dividends now with a remarkable growth in vocations, which has resulted in the purchase of property and construction of a facility to serve as a base for the postulant community, and a visitor center for confreres returning from their pastoral missionary experience to their home country.

The Spiritan seminary program in Vietnam is flourishing thanks to the help of the people of Fort Worth.

Father Paul Hoang, CSSp and Father Huy Dinh, CSSp, have visited the diocese and shared their escape from Vietnam during the chaotic and cultural turmoil. Both were able to relate their experience to those of other immigrants.

Spiritans began ministering to African refugees as a result of civil war, leading the humanitarian effort of welcoming and caring for displaced people. Father Paul Flamm, CSSP, has been on the ground in these refugee centers for the past 30 years. In recent years, he has assisted in funding the construction of two large chapels where, in celebrating the sacraments, the people may truly know that God is in their midst. The Spiritans’ commitment to refugee ministry is open-ended, according to Fr. Paul. “As long as the refugees are there, we will be there with them”, he said. 

Generous donations help the Spiritans share the Good News of the Gospel "to the ends of the earth," building community in parts of the world that are so often neglected.

A message from the Spiritans to diocesan faithful:

We are sincerely grateful for the warm welcome we received and the extraordinary financial support of the people of Fort Worth. The parishioners listened attentively to our mission story, shared in our concerns, and offered generous financial support. We are deeply grateful for their hospitality and solidarity.  It is with much joy that we can report on two of the mission activities that benefited from these collections.

Learn more about mission, ways to give back and get involved at https://fwdioc.org/pontifical-missions.

A Spiritan ministers to African refugees. (courtesy photo/Missions Office of the Diocese of Fort Worth)