First Mass of Fr. Paul Leung, FSSP

Fr. Paul Leung, FSSP
Fr. Paul Leung, FSSP

Fr. Paul Leung, FSSP, ordained in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday May 31, 2014, offered his first Mass the next morning in the Chapel of Saints Peter and Paul at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska.

It might be interesting to know that, by the grace of God, Father was the first vocation to the FSSP from Hong Kong (China). Father was born in Hong Kong, where he lived most of his life, benefiting from a warm and supporting family. He is grateful to his country, which provided him with a sound education and opportunities for personal growth. After graduating from college, he found out that the Traditional Latin Mass was being said at a school chapel in Hong Kong fortnightly. In the beginning, he went there only out of curiosity, but as the time passed by, he found the old form of the Mass attractive, inspiring and captivating.

Long before he came to the Traditional Latin Mass, Father had been discerning a religious vocation. The initial calling from God was at a diocesan retreat, where the book he read about the missionaries in China and Hong Kong stirred his heart intensely, and he could not even sleep without thinking about it. The next day, he ran to talk to the priest and Father told him to wait and pray, as he was only in high school. However, he did not give up in searching God’s will, and attended many vocational retreats organized by different religious orders. Overall, however, he was disappointed with their approaches on religious vocation, as they over-emphasized the social aspect.

Father felt there was something missing and he thought perhaps he was not meant to be a priest. For many years, he put aside this dream and focused on his studies and work. This was until he started to go the Traditional Latin Mass, and began to consider the priesthood again through the inspiration of an old Italian missionary priest. The Mass he said was most devout and it always impressed young people like Father Leung. His witness of the priesthood will forever be ingrained in Father Leung’s mind.

The way he celebrated Mass made Father think that this was the whole point to in becoming a priest. On more than one occasion, the missionary priest encouraged Father Leung to pursue a vocation to the priesthood. Coincidentally, at that time a priest from the FSSP was visiting Hong Kong to assist the Latin Mass community there. Father seized this opportunity to tell him about his vocational wishes.

After due consideration, Father was accepted by the Fraternity and joined the novitiate house in Sydney, Australia. After a year, he came to Denton, Nebraska for further studies. The ways of God are truly mysterious and we cannot not go forward if we don’t take the initial step, as difficult as it may be.

Time flies! Seven years passed so quickly for him. Father recounts that it has been a wonderful experience for him to respond to God’s call. The time at the seminary was the happiest time in his life. There were seminarians from all countries, but all shared the same perspective as Father Leung about the Mass. Always in his mind before his ordination was the thought that “By the grace of God, I will be a priest soon, despite my unworthiness.”

Seven years of studies seem pretty long for most people, but it is necessary because of the great vocation and responsibilities of a priest that he needs to be formed in the person of Our Lord Crucified, and to be able to exercise his priesthood effectively.

Father Leung humbly asks all of you to keep him in your prayers.

July 21, 2014