Everything is Connected

“To tell the story of anything, you have to tell the story of everything.”²

This quote from Thomas Berry, describing the inherent relatedness of all creation, is also reflected in the discoveries of contemporary science. Everything created over the 13.8 billion year story of the cosmos is connected to everything else. And everything connected, is also in motion.

I have two recent stories of connection that illuminate this dynamic.

The first story is of two young women, My Dung Nguyen and Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang, originally from Vietnam, geographically separated for years, who recently re-connected in Canada. They did so at the April 24 reception of My Dung Nguyen as an RNDM postulant, in a simple ceremony at an RNDM house in Winnipeg.

Now, some background to this story. Over ten years ago, as university students in Vietnam, My Dung and Trang both boarded at the RNDM student residence in Thu Duc.³ One year, an opportunity arose for interested students to go to Kon Tum Province, located inland in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam.⁴ Student volunteers would be living and working with RNDM novices, who were going for a “mission experience” in Kon Tum.

That experience was transformative for both women. Working among those made poor, and living with the Sisters in Kom Tum, they each felt a sense of call, in deeper ways than they had previously known. Their sense of call involved becoming religious, and was so strong that they both decided to change their university majors to what they thought would be more aligned with being a Sister. My Dung switched from law to nursing, and Trang switched from economics to education.

In the meantime, My Dung’s family’s application to immigrate to Canada had come through, and this created another unexpected dynamic. My Dung was faced with the choice of remaining in Vietnam or going to Canada with her family. She chose to go to Canada. She got a contact name from the Sisters in Vietnam, and one cold winter’s day in 2012, after she had settled into life in Canada, she came to meet the province leader of the RNDMs in Winnipeg.

That was about ten years ago. My Dung maintained contact with the Sisters, as she finished her nursing degree, and worked with her family to start a business. Towards the end of 2022, My Dung decided that “the time has come”, and she asked to be received as an RNDM postulant.

Meanwhile, back in Vietnam, after finishing her university studies, Trang followed through on her desire to become an RNDM. She spent many of the last ten years being initiated into the life of an RNDM, learning more about RNDM purpose, history, and spirit, learning about religious vows, and participating in RNDM life and mission. Towards the end of this lengthy time of formation, Trang applied to make final vows, and her request was approved.

She then needed to learn English, because the 6 month time of discernment and renewal, prior to making final vows, is conducted in English. Trang was accepted to study English at the University of Regina, and arrived in that city very early on a cold December 16 morning in 2022. She will continue her English studies until April 2024, before joining other Sisters preparing for final vows, in Davao, Philippines.

Now, returning to the point where the lives of these two women intersected in Canada. My Dung and Trang met each other again in Winnipeg, when Trang travelled from Regina with other Sisters, to celebrate My Dung’s becoming an RNDM postulant. Their joy in re-connecting at this important moment of My Dung’s commitment, is reflected in the accompanying photo.

The second story of connection that was catalyzed by My Dung’s entry into religious life, is of a beautiful congratulatory card sent to her from ten women who are presently postulants in Vietnam. This card featured prominently in the prayer service where My Dung was received as a postulant in Canada. This card too has an accompanying photo.