Pastor Turns Birthday Celebration into a Gift of Gratitude
Rev. Sy Nguyen, pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Orange, chose to turn his 60th birthday into an opportunity to do good. Rather than receiving gifts for himself on this milestone, he asked his friends and faithful parishioners for their support. With their help, he has established a birthday present that will never stop giving, the Fr. Sy Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Managed through The Orange Catholic Foundation (OCF), the Fr. Sy Scholarship Endowment Fund will provide annual Catholic school tuition support to children and their families for generations. “I know many parents will appreciate the aid they receive. I’m a priest partly because of my upbringing through a Catholic school in Vietnam.”
Even though Fr. Sy was baptized Catholic, for most of his life, he was raised by his Buddhist stepparents. Therefore, his spiritual foundation was built within the classroom. At the age of 14, his faith deepened as his family escaped from Communist Vietnam, was brought to Orange County by Catholic Charities and sponsored by St. Hedwig Catholic Church in Los Alamitos.
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This was not the first time Fr. Sy marked his birthday with a meaningful act of selflessness. When he turned 18, he worked up the courage to check out the seminary. He shared, “I was running away from His voice. I thought I was going to be an engineer, but God’s calling was very profound and consistent.” The tour confirmed his “yes” to the priesthood, and by the age of 26, he was ordained.
Priests often find their own faith renewed by the very people they serve. Fr. Sy was inspired by a volunteer at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Yorba Linda. After the parishioner passed, he left a generous donation to the parish for the benefit of Catholic school students in need.
As pastor there at the time, Fr. Sy agreed that investing the money into an endowment with OCF would provide a longer-term impact rather than distributing it all at once. The process sparked an idea for his own fund, “In my life, I have received so much from Catholic education. So, I asked my friends. I thank God for their generosity.”
Throughout his priesthood, Fr. Sy’s friends contributed tuition support, but now, through the newly established endowment, they are part of a legacy. “We are here to help each other go to heaven. These parents are already making a lot of sacrifices to put their children in Catholic school. They just need a little help to stay, and as a priest, that’s the least I can do,” expressed Fr. Sy.
Your life is a gift. What if your next celebration became a reflection of the Giver? Or what if your generosity can grow hope through Fr. Sy’s Scholarship Endowment Fund? Making a meaningful impact is easier than you might think. Connect with a team member from The Orange Catholic Foundation at 714.282.3021 or info@orangecatholicfoundation.org
