I arrived in the United States on August 8, 2026, after 28 hours of travel from Chiang Mai. Fr. Minister James Erps welcomed us and led us to our residence. I belong to Saint Mary's Hall, where I live in a satellite house called Koska. Saint Mary's Hall is a large community of 61 members, made up of 60 priests and one scholastic, most of whom are professors at Boston College. I am pursuing an M.A. in Higher Education with a concentration in Faith, Formation and Spirituality at Boston College. After a little more than a month, I am gradually becoming familiar with the weather and the academic environment. Two things have impressed me, and one challenge has marked my intellectual journey.
The first is the warm welcome of the community. I feel privileged to live alongside distinguished and wise senior Jesuits, whom I meet mostly at mealtimes. Sitting with them, I often cannot follow their conversations, since they discuss academic matters and the subjects they teach. Yet listening opens a whole world of ideas to me. They tell stories simply and humbly, and I learn much from their humility and care. They know my situation and often ask whether I need help. Their warmth and concern make me feel at home.
The second is the environment. Boston College has a beautiful campus, and its buildings are designed in castle or cathedral styles, so that I sometimes feel I am living in an ancient world. Inside them, art, sacred tradition, and secular scholarship are woven together. Gasson Hall, the first building of the college, stands like an anchor where faith and reason meet.
The biggest challenge is academic. English is my second language, and in Boston people speak very fast. The reading load for each class is heavy, so I need almost twice as much time to absorb it. In addition, the terms and concepts of higher education, including the systems, faculty, and policies of private and state universities and colleges, are all new to me. Still, I enjoy the learning style here: the way professors engage with students and the small-group discussions we hold before gathering for the seminar. Alongside my studies, I serve as a graduate assistant at the Monserrate Coalition, where I accompany students as they share about their lives, academic habits, and spiritual journeys.
The weather is turning cold for me, though it is normal for the locals. I thank God for this opportunity, and I thank my superior for giving me the chance to immerse myself in the study of education. Only three weeks into the fall semester, I have already learned a great deal and am glad of the path I have chosen. The challenges of culture, reading, and study remain, but they motivate me to go further and to enter more deeply into the wider world of intellectual and spiritual life.
Fr. Pham Ngo Hoang Dung, SJ
