Parramatta Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv’s testimony of coming to Australia as a refugee is part of a new ABC Education series, Journeys of Hope from Vietnam. Source: Catholic Outlook.
Bishop Long’s story is offered not merely as a personal testimony but as a profound witness to faith, migration, and human resilience.
Designed for high school students from Years 7-10 and aligned to the history, civics and citizenship curriculum, the series showcases five individual stories of Vietnamese refugees fleeing the Vietnam War and communist regime, searching for safety, security, freedom and a new place to call home.
Organised with the Vietnamese Museum Australia – Australia’s first museum dedicated to honouring and preserving the powerful stories of Vietnamese refugees and their journey to a new life in Australia – the series aims to educate students on the “migration stories, inviting them to reflect on themes of resilience, courage and belonging, while gaining a deeper understanding of the contributions Vietnamese Australians have made to our shared community.”
Bishop Long’s episode describes his dangerous boat journey, his year in a refugee camp in Malaysia, and his eventual arrival in Melbourne in 1981.
He details his experience of starting a new life in an unfamiliar place, learning a new language and pursuing his calling to the priesthood.
His chosen motto as bishop, [plunge] “into the deep”, is a reflection of his boat journey across the ocean and the courage required to embrace the unknown.
Along with Thu-Trang Tran, Dinh Nguyen, Yen Bui and Tien Kieu, students are asked to wonder and reflect on the experiences of these five Vietnamese refugees and explore the ways in which they have not only contributed to but enriched Australian society.
For a Catholic audience, the series offers more than historical insight; it becomes a meditation on the Church as a pilgrim people.
Details: Journeys of Hope from Vietnam (ABC Education).
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Bishop Vincent features in new ABC Education series for Australian students (By Anita Sulentic, Catholic Outlook)
