By Bill Schmitt
Looking for a retreat to deepen my relationship with God, I encountered a flyer promoting a pilgrimage to Vietnam titled “Healing Tour” with Fr. Hung Pham, SJ, the director of the Office of Ignatian Spirituality for the Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province. I felt a profound calling to visit Vietnam. As a Marine in 1968, I was not called to serve in the war in Vietnam. Now, however, I could go as a spiritual pilgrim seeking understanding and closure.
In Vietnam, the year 2024 is celebrated as the year of the dragon, symbolizing power and auspiciousness. My pilgrimage to Vietnam proved to be auspicious indeed, as well as spiritually transformative, challenging my past perceptions.
I was raised in a devout Catholic household by two parents who were veterans of World War II. My patriotic decision to join the Marines in 1967 was met with initial resistance from my parents, yet they eventually supported my resolve to serve. Though I yearned to participate in the Vietnam War, I was trained to be an air traffic controller and they didn’t need my services in Vietnam. As a result, I was frustrated and angry; I felt guilty about not going to the battlefields where so many of my fellow Marines were serving.
Despite building a fulfilling post-Marine life, my longing for Vietnam has endured. Life experiences were prompting an inner shift toward aligning my will with God’s will.
Father Pham’s “Healing Tour” gave me the opportunity to embark on this spiritual journey. As we traveled through Hanoi, the capital of our former enemy, Fr. Pham preached a sermon that reminded me of a scripture passage from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard and what has not entered to human heart, is what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
In one encounter, a large group of first and second graders passed by us. The Vietnamese pilgrims I was traveling with spoke to the children in Vietnamese and shook their hands until one of the students spotted me. Then all the children rushed to where I was, wanting to say “hi” and shake my hand. I took some good-natured kidding from my fellow pilgrims. For me, it felt like Jesus opening me to love, much as I love my grandchildren.
Encountering the Vietnamese people, their culture and historic landscapes reshaped my understanding of the conflict of my youth. I got to spend an hour talking to a fellow pilgrim, a Vietnamese American who served in the South Vietnamese Navy. We talked about some of the battles, the ways our lives had changed and our gratitude for our God who brought us through those turbulent times.
Traveling alongside Fr. Pham and Vietnamese Americans, I found camaraderie and support that bridged cultural divides.
In northern Vietnam, I encountered no animosity towards Americans, while in the south, gratitude toward American veterans was palpable, a sentiment I wished all veterans could experience.
The trip commenced in Chiang Mai, Thailand, at the Seven Fountains Jesuit Retreat House. There I met fellow pilgrim-travelers before heading to bustling Hanoi. Surprised by the country’s Catholic influence, I marveled at the coexistence of faiths as we visited sacred sites. Exploring iconic locations like Hue, home to the Imperial City, Da Nang and Saigon stirred reflections on the war’s impact, evoking prayers for all affected.
We visited shrines to our Blessed Mother’s appearances in La Vang and Saigon. In Saigon, we stopped at the Alexandre De Rhodes Jesuit Center, named for the first Jesuit to visit Vietnam in the 1600s. Today this center helps educate both priests and laity in the Spiritual Exercises. We also visited the Jesuit Campus at Học Viện Dòng Tên and St. Joseph’s School, home to 90 Jesuit scholastics. At both locations, we prayed for God’s grace.
As we traversed the Mekong Delta, the journey culminated in a profound sense of forgiveness and reconciliation, for myself and with the people of Vietnam.
Inspired by this pilgrimage, I feel called to lead other veterans on similar healing journeys, fostering personal growth and understanding. Our next pilgrimage to Vietnam will depart on December 28, 2024, and return on January 14, 2025. May God bless our endeavors.
For inquiries about future pilgrimages, visit the OIS website, or contact Lan Chieu Nguyen at 714-202-7020 or via email at Chieulannguyen@gmail.com.
[Top Photo: Fr. Hung Pham, SJ, with the author.]
