The Catholic Diocese of Bathurst celebrated a deeply significant moment in the life of the Church with the ordination of Ha Van Tran to the Diaconate on Friday, 28 November at 6.00pm, during Mass at the Cathedral of St Michael and St John, Bathurst. As the evening light settled over the historic cathedral, family, friends, parishioners and supporters filled the pews, creating a warm and prayerful atmosphere for the occasion.

The Ordination Mass was celebrated by Bishop Michael McKenna, joined by priests from across the Diocese and beyond, including Fr Michael de Stoop, Rector of the Seminary of the Good Shepherd. There was also a strong presence of deacons, clergy and seminarians — an outward sign of the unity, support and fraternity that underpin vocational life in the Church. The ceremony marked the joyful culmination of many years of formation and discernment for Ha, who now steps into his new ministry as a Deacon within the Diocese of Bathurst. The liturgy, rich with ritual and symbol, highlighted the call to service at the heart of the diaconate: proclaiming the Gospel, serving the poor and assisting at the altar.

In his homily, Bishop McKenna emphasised that Ha was being commissioned to preach the Word of God, from scripture and tradition, in the name of the Church. He quoted from the second reading that Ha had chosen for the  Mass. “They will not hear of Jesus unless they get a preacher; and they will never have a preacher unless one is sent…”.

The celebration continued after Mass, where those gathered shared their congratulations, prayers and encouragement for Ha as he begins this next chapter of dedicated ministry. It was an evening that honoured both the personal journey of one man and the wider hope of a Church strengthened through new vocations.