On 16 March 2025, Brother Pham Van Luong, a native of Vietnam who lives in Rome, Italy, in the Calasanctianum community in Montemario, was ordained a deacon in the Church of San Pantaleo and San José de Calasanz.
His Most Reverend Excellency Monsignor Angelo Vincenzo Zani, who has been appointed Archivist and Librarian of the Holy See, ordained Luong.
The Eucharist took place during Sunday Mass and was attended by parishioners from the Church of San Pantaleo, the Piarists from the communities of Rome, the Nazarene, San Francisco, Montemario and San Pantaleo. The Piarist Sisters also participated in a special way, as well as various guests of Brother Luong, some of whom joined in with songs in Vietnamese.
The homily was an extraordinary invitation to follow in the footsteps of Jesus through St Joseph Calasanz, encouraging him to serve others through the charism of the Founder, which has tremendous contemporary power for service to the Church and society. He advised him to find strength in the Virgin Mary, who supports him in tenderness and love through educational service.
Father Urban, Assistant General for Asia, read a letter from Father Miguel Artola with a message of support from his Asia-Pacific Province. The Father General then gave a speech of thanks to the Bishop, the new Deacon Luong and all those present at the Eucharist. Finally, Reverend Luong himself expressed his deep gratitude to God, the Pious Schools and all those who are part of his vocation journey.
The Eucharist ended with the presentation of a bouquet of flowers as a sign of the gratitude that Luong had experienced that day, to Monsignor Zani, and to Fr Pedro Aguado, Father General.
