Priest from independent, Catholic movement reaches out

Father Joseph Tung Dang knew he wanted to become a priest from the time he was a child growing up as a Roman Catholic in Saigon, Vietnam.

“When I was a little kid, I’m seeing so many people suffering spiritually. And I see that priests have a gift of touching people’s hearts and lives,” said Dang, 27, who immigrated in 1988 with his parents to California.

He carried his desire to serve as a clergyman into adulthood, and his dream came true when he was ordained as a priest in the Catholic Apostolic Church International in September.

Dang’s spiritual goal seems straightforward, an extension of the way he perceived the role of priests as a child.

“I want to let people know that God loves them, no matter what,” he said.

Dang has brought that philosophy to Kansas University, where he is the chaplain of St. John the Baptist Catholic Apostolic Church International, a fledgling community of faith offering outreach to Christian students.

The church that Dang represents doesn’t yet exist physically at KU. He is presently working out of the Ecumenical Christian Ministries building, located at 1204 Oread Avenue.

Dang, who began his ministry at KU Oct. 1, celebrates Mass at 6 p.m. Saturdays and noon Sundays in the chapel at ECM. He plans to have a Vietnamese Mass the first Sunday of each month at Danforth Chapel on campus.

This is Dang’s first assignment as a priest serving in the Catholic Apostolic Church International, which identifies itself as an independent, Catholic movement.

Dang said he believes he is the first representative of the church in Kansas, as well as the first Vietnamese priest to serve the KU community.

“I’m so happy that ECM is willing to host me and give me a chance to hold Mass,” he said. “My main goal is to work with the Asian students âÂÂ:quot; mostly Vietnamese âÂÂ:quot; and also to those who felt left out from the (Catholic) Church for whatever personal reason or life experience.”

‘God loves everyone equally’

The church that Dang represents has some beliefs that might come as a surprise to people who identify themselves as Catholic.

The Catholic Apostolic Church is not under the jurisdiction of the pope, viewing that spiritual leader as the Bishop of Rome, one bishop among many in the world.

The Catholic Apostolic Church does not adhere to the canon laws of the Orthodox or Roman Catholic churches, and priests such as Dang will serve Communion to any baptized Christian, not just followers of those faiths.

“We are here to practice in the Catholic tradition: open-minded, open-hearted and welcome to all. God loves everyone equally, and no matter what, we are all children of God,” Dang said.

“Catholic means ‘universal.’ We profess our faith through the Nicene Creed (an ancient symbol of faith in the undivided, apostolic church). Our Mass and catechism is exactly the same as the Roman Catholic. The only difference is we don’t promote the canon law.”

Confusion about ministry

Not surprisingly, that approach doesn’t exactly sit well with Roman Catholic spiritual leaders who serve KU students.

Father Vince Krische is concerned that Catholics on campus will be confused, or even misled, by the nature of Dang’s ministry efforts.

“All I know is that it must be a self-proclaimed church, a church that is not in union with Rome. They use the word ‘Catholic,’ and they call it ‘apostolic Catholic,’ but it’s not Roman Catholic,” said Krische, director of St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center, 1631 Crescent Road.

“I’ve not talked with him directly, but (Dang) has talked directly with my staff, and nobody can quite figure it out. I have no idea who his superiors, or what his credentials, are.”

But Dang said his next goal is to open a dialogue with the Roman Catholic churches in Lawrence.

“I’m hoping we will work together,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dang continues to build the foundation of his outreach ministry at KU.

“Students think it’s a cool thing to have a Vietnamese priest available to them,” he said. “I’m here at ECM to talk, to chat and to give spiritual help to any Christian student.”