Thinh Xuan Nguyen
| The Most Reverend Thinh Xuan Nguyen | |
|---|---|
| Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne | |
| Native name | Gioakim Nguyễn Xuân Thinh |
| Church | Catholic |
| Archdiocese | Melbourne |
| Province | Melbourne |
| Appointed | 8 November 2024 |
| Other post | Titular Bishop of Madaurus |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 16 September 2006 by Denis Hart |
| Consecration | 1 February 2025 by Peter Comensoli |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 January 1973 Saigon, South Vietnam |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Motto | Confide, vocat te (Take courage, He is calling you) (Hãy can đảm, Người gọi con) |
| Styles | |
| |
| Reference style | His Lordship The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | My Lord |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Joachim Thinh Xuan Nguyen (born 3 January 1973) is an Australian Catholic prelate serving as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne since 2025.
Early life
Nguyễn Xuân Thinh was born on 3 January 1973 in Saigon, then part of South Vietnam.[1] He is the eleventh of nine brothers and four sisters born to Nguyễn Xuân Hạng and Nguyễn Thị Côi (née Phạm).[2] One of his older brothers is also a priest, Joachim Nguyễn Xuân Tiến, SSC, who serves in Japan.[3]
After finishing his primary education at Kết Đoàn Primary School,[2][1] at the age of thirteen, he and his family arrived in Australia and settled in Melbourne after fleeing Vietnam by boat.[3] He was later enrolled in secondary school at Redden Catholic College, Preston. He obtained a Bachelor of Building Engineering degree from Victoria University and worked for an engineering firm before entering Corpus Christi College Regional Seminary, Carlton, in 1999.[2]
Presbyteral ministry
Nguyen was ordained a deacon on 8 October 2005.[4] He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Melbourne on 16 September 2006 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Patrick, by Archbishop Denis Hart.[2] He served in the parish of Deer Park as a curate before being appointed parish priest of Fitzroy. He became a formator at Corpus Christi College Regional Seminary in 2013. He then served as chaplain at the University of Melbourne from 2018[5] and as assistant vocation director of the archdiocese.[6] In 2020 he became parish priest in Bennettswood.[5]
He holds a master's degree in theological studies and a Master of Arts in spirituality. In 2022, he was appointed coordinator of Clergy, Life and Ministry in the archdiocese.[6]
Episcopal ministry
On 8 November 2024, Pope Francis announced his appointment of Nguyen and Rene Ramirez RCJ as auxiliary bishops of Melbourne.[5] Nguyen expressed his surprise upon receiving the news of his appointment. He commented that he felt overwhelmed by the "responsibility and the weight of the task ahead," but remembered a line from the Gospel of Matthew, which encouraged him to accept this role, "Take heart! It is I! Do not be afraid!"[7][2] The sentiment behind this line was later seen in his episcopal motto, in which he took a similar verse, "Take courage. He’s calling you."[8][9]
The pair were consecrated as bishops on 1 February 2025 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Patrick.[2] The principal consecrator was Archbishop Peter Comensoli while Bishop Gregory Bennet of Sale and Bishop Shane Mackinlay of Sandhurst were co-consecrators.[10] Nguyen serves as auxiliary bishop for the eastern region of the archdiocese.[6]
References
- Back to citation occurrence 1.0 Back to citation occurrence 1.1 J.B. Đặng Minh. "Đức Thánh Cha bổ nhiệm một linh mục Việt Nam làm Giám Mục Phụ Tá của Melbourne, Úc". VietCatholic News. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
- Back to citation occurrence 2.0 Back to citation occurrence 2.1 Back to citation occurrence 2.2 Back to citation occurrence 2.3 Back to citation occurrence 2.4 Back to citation occurrence 2.5 "Two new Auxiliary Bishops appointed for Melbourne". Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
- Back to citation occurrence 3.0 Back to citation occurrence 3.1 Ban Điều Hành CĐCGVN TGP Melbourne. "Bổ Nhiệm Giám Mục Tân Cử Gioakim Nguyễn Xuân Thinh". Cộng Đồng Công Giáo Việt Nam Tổng Giáo Phận Melbourne. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
- Back to citation "Bishop Thinh Xuan Nguyen". catholic-hierarchy.org. Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- Back to citation occurrence 5.0 Back to citation occurrence 5.1 Back to citation occurrence 5.2 "Resignations and Appointments, 08.11.2024". Vatican.va. The Holy See Press Office. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- Back to citation occurrence 6.0 Back to citation occurrence 6.1 Back to citation occurrence 6.2 "Auxiliary Bishops". melbournecatholic.org. Archdiocese of Melbourne. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- Back to citation From Matthew 14:27, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."
- Back to citation From Mark 10:49, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.”
- Back to citation "'Take courage. He's calling you': Bishop Thinh Nguyen on the gift of priesthood". CatholicOutlook. Melbourne Catholic. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
- Back to citation "Joy overflows at Consecration of Melbourne's newest bishops". Melbourne Catholic. Archdiocese of Melbourne. 1 February 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2025.