Born in Da Nang, Vietnam, during the Tet Offensive, Father Khanh Hoang, 41, and his four sisters and one brother saw soldiers, tanks and helicopters growing up. In 1978, his parents put him on the family’s boat. While he was asleep, he and his brother and sister were moved to a larger boat bound for Hong Kong. They spent a year in Macau before getting U.S. sponsorship. He lived in California, Texas, Colorado and Michigan, where a priest uncle lived. Hoang attended a Toledo high school seminary, Seton Hall University and St. Thomas Seminary in Denver. He was ordained for the Diocese of Colorado Springs in 1994. Allergies led to a Hawaii transfer in 2003. He was the administrator of St. Jude, Kapolei, and then pastor when he was joined the diocese in 2006. He became vicar for clergy in 2007. On June 4, his 15th ordination anniversary, he spoke with the Herald.
1. What is your favorite childhood memory?
As the baby boy in an Asian family, I was very spoiled growing up. I have cousins who still tease me about my special treatment. I had curly hair and unique features from most Vietnamese which set me apart. I also remember running down to the ocean to listen to and watch the water and enjoying night fishing on my family’s boat.
2. Who have you admired most in your life?
My parents because of the sacrifice and difficult decision they made for their children in sending us away. In Asian culture, you take care of your elders, so when I call my mom and ask how she’s doing, it means a lot to me when she says, “Don’t worry about us. Just take care of your ministry.”
3. What would you be if you weren’t a priest?
A doctor. Growing up through the war and seeing injured people, I wanted to be able to heal and make people feel better. I never planned on being a priest. I went to a high school seminary because a cousin wanted to go, and my uncle, who was a priest, sent me to keep him company. My cousin ended up getting married and I became the priest!
4. Do you have any hobbies?
I golf, sometimes play the guitar, and used to surf when I was at St. Jude’s, but now distance and time keep me from doing that. I have a red and black Honda CBR 1000 motorcycle. You get on and don’t have to think or do much. Two of my favorite rides are along the south and north shores. I’d ride motorbikes as a kid and when I was in ninth grade, I saved up and bought a used one. My uncle made me return it since I didn’t have a license.
5. Where have you always wanted to visit?
Brazil. It’s such a big country, and somehow in the back of my mind it’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit. I’d like to go back to Tikal, Guatemala, where there are Mayan pyramids in the jungle. I enjoy travel and experiencing different cultures. I recently went on a 15-day cruise around Asia. Also, once a month I meet friends from St. Jude to try out a different ethnic restaurant.
6. What’s the Church’s biggest challenge today?
People in the first world today live more comfortably with material goods and gadgets that the materialism takes away from building relationships. Families don’t eat together anymore, they live far apart, and there’s a lack of time spent with each other. You can’t learn values and faith through the classroom; it has to be through parents and adults.
7. What book are you reading now?
“Silence” by Shusaku Endo, about Japanese martyrs. In many ways I can relate to religious persecution having heard about it in the early church in Vietnam. We can’t easily imagine in this country just what the martyrs went through for the freedom to worship. You hear about it, but it’s hard to imagine that people are willing to die for their faith. The book has reinvigorated my own faith.
8. Besides your hobbies, how do you relax?
In Colorado, I had a freshwater fish tank and I used to enjoy coming home, turning on music and watching the fish. I don’t have a tank now but I’ll still put on music, mostly Vietnamese.