Recognizing and honoring Reverend Quy K. Pham for his outstanding perseverance and for his recent ordination as a Priest by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.

WHEREAS, Quy Pham, a transitional deacon is now an ordained priest. He was appointed to the position on May 19, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Quy Pham first entered a seminary 46 years ago and 8,900 miles away in My Tho, the capital of Tieng Gang Province in the Mekong Delta region of South Vietnam at the age of 13. This was originally the idea of his parents, but it soon became his passion. In the seminary Quy Pham found his desire to be a priest; and

WHEREAS, In 1975 the seminary was closed due to the fall of Saigon in the Vietnam War. Pham returned home where he continued his studies dutifully and continued his hopes of becoming a priest; and

WHEREAS, Finally in 1983 Quy Pham left Vietnam in search of a country where he could follow his dream and purpose in life. Pham traveled on a boat from Vietnam to Singapore to the Philippines and ultimately, eight months after leaving Vietnam, he arrived in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Pham’s first stop in the United States was in Alexandria, Virginia, where he applied to seminaries and continued to search for positions as a priest; and

WHEREAS, After searching in Virginia Quy, Pham moved on to search in Philadelphia. He worked in Germantown with the Vincentians before taking a break to spend time learning the English language and furthering his education; and

WHEREAS, Pham continued his education at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (now Thomas Jefferson University). After obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Pham began a career in computer programming at Pennsylvania Hospital, and later at the City of Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, In 2015, Quy Pham contacted Father Stephen DeLacy, the Vocations Director for the Archdiocese, and finally obtained the consent and blessing of Archbishop Charles Chaput; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Quy K. Pham went on to earn his Master of Divinity and Master of Theology Degrees from Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary - Wynnewood in 2018; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Quy K. Pham showed longevity, strength and dedication in his journey to priesthood and his position as Parochial Vicar at St. Albert the Great; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby recognizes and honors Reverend Quy K. Pham for his outstanding dedication and determination, and commends him for being ordained as a Priest.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Reverend Quy K. Pham as further evidence of the sincere appreciation and admiration of this legislative body.

End

Curtis Jones, Jr.

Councilman, 4th District

June 21, 2018