Introducing Fr Peter Bang SVD
20 March, 2024
My full name is Peter Nguyễn văn Bàng, just call me Bàng. I was born to a devoted Catholic family in Vietnam. I am the youngest of eight with three brothers and four sisters – one of whom is a nun.
In 1999 after completing high school, I went to university in Đa Nang. I graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Auditing.
When I finished university, I went back to my hometown and worked with a building company for about 10 months as an accountant.
At the age of 23, I joined the Divine Word Missionaries in Vietnam and did my philosophical and theological studies in Saigon. After two years of philosophy, I was asked to undertake the Overseas Training Program, where we learn and experience another culture and language in Hungary and Germany.
I was ordained a missionary priest in Saigon, Vietnam. After this, I was assigned to work in Australia. I arrived in Melbourne in March, 2014. I did one year’s formation to improve my English language and six months of pastoral experiences at St. Gregory’s parish in Doncaster, Melbourne.
In November 2015, I came to work in “Banana-Land”, at St. Maximilian Kolbe parish in Marsden and St. Mark’s parish in Inala. In February 2020, I received a new appointment from our provincial, Fr Asaeli Rass, to work in Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish, Alice Springs.
In middle of last month, I arrived in Rockhampton Diocese to take my new mission in Central West. I would like to say thank you Bishop Michael for inviting and trusting SVDs to come to work in his Diocese. I feel very privileged to spend my time doing missionary work in this vast mission area. I know that doing mission work in other countries with different cultures and languages is not easy. However, I believe that God’s grace will be enough for me. I hope and pray that I will learn and gain both knowledge and grace from people and ministry here in Central West. God bless us and our mission!
With love and grace,
Fr. Peter Bang, SVD
