By Shawn Larson (The Hoxie Sentinel) Though it has been a couple months since the St. Frances Catholic Church received their new priest, people from the community are still getting to know who this new face is in our town. Personally, I had not yet met him. When walking up to the rectory I was a little nervous. I am not sure what my expectations were going to be of Fr. Vincent Thu Laing. Being Protestant, I have very little experience with Catholic priests, other than what you see on TV or the movies, so this for me, was a new and pleasant experience. Father Vincent, as his parish is fond of calling him, was a nice humble man who made me feel welcome. After introductions, Father Vincent gave me some background on where he was from and how he eventually ended up here in Hoxie. “I am from Burma, now called Myanmar, in Southeast Asia. We share our border with China, Bangladesh, Thailand, India and Laos. In 1999 my Bishop told me I had to go to the U.S. My first mission was in Beloit, KS, for eight months, then to Washington, KS for two years. In 2002 I moved to Norton and was there for 13 years. It was the longest I’d lived anywhere, not even in my village. When I was 11 or 12 years old, I left my village to get a military education.” When asked if he likes living in the United States, he replied, “Yes. Everybody would like to come to United States. There is so much you can learn and so much you can enjoy. It’s the best place in the world.” Since that part of the world is predominantly Buddhist I was inclined to ask how someone ends up being Catholic. “My ancestors were not Catholic, but Buddhist. My grandparents and parents converted to Catholicism, so I grew up Catholic.” “In Burma, 85% of the population is Buddhist. But my village is so special, we have 200 families in my village—all are Catholic. That is so, so special! Our village has produced six priests already and four nuns. Village is surrounded by rivers, so it is remote, and only accessed by boats or walking. It is a faith-based community. It is a simple farming community and I am blessed to live there. Buddhists and Catholics get along. Buddhists are based on love and treat everyone with respect.” When asked how he decided to get into the ministry, he said when he was younger, “I was kind of thinking of becoming a priest, you know, because when the priests tour your village and you see them, it’s kind of amazing. They were enjoying the good food and treated like a king and you enjoy to do that. So it was kind on in the back of my mind. It was not forced on me. But after college one of the priests who support me to go to college, suggest why not try the seminary? At that time I was not ready, as other people had invited me to teach. But I decided to try it, and if I wasn’t happy I would just leave. After three months, I enjoyed doing it so much. I thought maybe this is the right place and I embraced it and became a priest.” As he grew up, and made the commitment to become a priest, he knew to be a priest isn’t “to be a king”, but rather to serve the Father. “It is not really you can enjoy everything. There is a lot of struggle and difficulty and hardship. But when you think on it, to do God’s work is kind of an honor. You kind of really want to do it! No matter what, I feel that was. So I enjoy my life, and I appreciate that God called me to be a priest. Serving others is why I enjoy my life.” When asked what Father Vincent enjoys best and least about his job, he responded, “The most difficult is the managing part, but serving the sacrament and giving Mass, I really love that. My faith is everything. I believe in Jesus Christ. That is everything for me. I will not manipulate or compromise with anything. I will be true to it till I die.” Father Vincent is enjoying our town so far, “Hoxie is a great place and has wonderful people and accept me in every way. I’d heard this community has very, very wonderful people and I am blessed and enjoy the calm, the environment. I am so grateful for the support for allowing me to become a part of it.” Summing it up, “For me, normally priests also might have difficulties in life. For me is, my vocation, my life, is a call by God and God wanted me to do that. So, for me, I might find difficulty; but being a priest, that is enough, that I could not ask more than that. To be a priest, God wanted me and that is a gift for me.” He continued on, saying, “Office work, answer the phone, sign the checks the secretary tells you to. There’s time to pray and do your hobby and talking to people who need encouragement, minister them, visit the sick at home and the hospital.” “I will be 60 on Columbus Day, 12 October, the big six-o. I have two brothers and two sisters. My parents are still living. They are 87 and 86. I choose to visit them every other year or every year. For me is, for being in the United States is really a blessing. I see how people are so fortunate and blessed American, compared to my life.” “I am so grateful and appreciative. I consider to be in Hoxie is a blessing for me. I am thankful for the friendships and would like to enjoy this place and be a part of this place and be treated like one of the family.” Father Vincent Thu Laing, St. Frances Catholic Church and Hoxie welcome you to the community. We wish you all the best.