Meet Our Priests & Deacons

Reverend Joseph Thuong Tran was born in Saigon, Vietnam, on May 28. He began his spiritual calling as an altar server at an early age. Along with millions of Vietnamese refugees, Fr. Joseph and his family arrived in the United States in 1985. He attended seminary school in Wisconsin and Iowa and completed his priesthood education at Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon. Fr. Joseph was ordained by Bishop Tod Brown on June 11, 2005, and has served at many parishes including St. Norbert, Holy Family Cathedral, St. Callistus (now Christ Cathedral), and St. Polycarp.

Reverend Joseph Vincent Squillacioti was born in Orange County, California, on June 14. He graduated from Mater Dei High School, Santa Ana College, California State University, Fullerton (BA – Religious Studies), Loyola Marymount University (Certificate of Catechetical Leadership), Saint John Seminary (Pre-Theology), and the Pontifical North American College in Vatican City, where he attended and graduated from the Pontifical Gregorian University (S.T.B. – Sacred Theology) and the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (S.T.L. – Liturgical Theology), Magna Cum Laude. In 2018, Fr. Joseph was ordained a Deacon at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and later ordained a Priest in 2019, as part of the first ordination class at Christ Cathedral. Following his ordination, he returned to Rome to complete further studies with the priests of Opus Dei at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. Most recently, he was assigned to St. Edward the Confessor Parish in Dana Point.

Reverend Charles Chung Tran was born in Saigon, Vietnam, on February 12. He was raised in a Catholic family and served as an altar server from second grade through high school. He credited being close to the altar and participating in the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement as experiences that helped deepen his faith and increase his love for the Eucharist and the priesthood. He completed his theological studies at St. Patrick’s Seminary & University and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Kevin Vann in June 2014. Our Lady Queen of Angels Church was his first assignment as a priest where he served for four years. Afterwards, he was assigned to St. Norbert Church, Holy Trinity Church, and Holy Family Church.

Deacon Paul Manh Mai was ordained on May 21, 2011, by Bishop Tod D. Brown. Deacon Paul was a mortgage broker 20 years. He and his wife, Huong, have four children. Deacon Paul is currently helping with our parish canonical services which include annulment and marriage related issues. Paul is also in charge of the Vietnamese RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) and infant baptism. He serves as a Marriage Preparation Coordinator at the Vietnamese Catholic Center.