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Biography Reverend Joseph Liem Thanh Nguyen, Pastor
Father Liem was born in Phu Loc, Hue, Vietnam March 1, 1960 to Mr. Long Thanh Nguyen and Mrs. Kim Phan Thi Tran, their first child, and Father has five brothers and seven sisters.
In 1979, Father Liem together with ninety-four people escaped Vietnam for freedom by a small boat. Father first spent eight months in a refugee camp in Pulau Tengah an Island of Malaysia, then he moved to former West Germany in 1980. Father Liem learned German and also worked in West Germany as a Machine Operator before he came to the United States in 1987 and began a new journey of life.
In 1995, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in German from Loyola University, Chicago while working as a freelance Graphic Designer. Father Liem completed his Master of Divinity degree in May 1999 from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland.
During Father Liem pastoral internship, he served at St. Francis of Assisi Church and Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church in Harrisburg, PA.; He also served at St. Pius X Church, in Conyers, GA., Our Lady of Vietnam Church in Riverdale, GA., and the National Naval Medical Center, Washington, D.C. He was ordained to Priesthood on June 19, 1999.
Father Liem’s first assignment as Parochial Vicar was in Gainesville, GA. at St. Michael Church. He served there six years, and then in June 2005, Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory made him the first pastor. Archbishop assigned him to St. Mary Catholic Church in Toccoa, GA. and St. Catherine Laboure' Catholic Mission, Commerce, GA.
Beside his Parish ministry, Father Liem spends most of his free time to work for Vietnamese Community in the USA. As a refugee himself, he understands well that immigrants and refugees have to face many problems in a new country: homesickness, isolation, language, job, career, racism, culture, lifestyle, food, and behavior. He hopes that from his own experiences he is able to assist people to integrate successfully into their new country without losing their own identity.
Currently Father Liem is President of the Federation of Vietnamese Catholics in the USA. On March 25, 2009, he was appointed as National Adviser for Vietnamese in the United States by Most Reverend Oscar Azarcon Solis, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles and Chairman USCCB Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs. As National Adviser, he serves as liaison between Vietnamese Community in the USA and the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church (CCDC), Sub-Committee on Asian and Pacific Affairs (SCAPA) of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
And also in March 2009, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Vietnam (CCBV) chose him as CCBV Liaison and Executive Director for the Campaign in the USA for the ill, elderly, and retired Priests in Vietnam.
Father Liem has made several missions to Vietnam to minister to orphans, disabled children, and the poor.
Father Liem speaks three languages: Vietnamese, German, and English (his third language!). His hobbies and interest are reading, classical music, fishing, camping and golfing.
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