10/26/2022 - Hello, I am Deacon Henry Nguyen, SCJ, a member of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Dehonians). I became a member of St. Polycarp Catholic Church in 1994 when my family started to go to Mass there. While at St. Polycarp, I started as a youth member of TNTT and was an altar server. I later became a Youth Leader for TNTT, served as a TA and catechist in the religious education programs (Vietnamese and English) until 2009 when I left for college and again from 2011 to 2015 prior to leaving for religious life. I have been away from St. Polycarp since entering religious life. I took my first vows with the Dehonians in August 2018, perpetual professions in January 2022, and was ordained to the diaconate on May 7, 2022 in Franklin, Wisconsin. My priesthood ordination is scheduled for December 17, 2022 at St. Columban at 10:00AM with Bishop Thanh as my ordaining Bishop.
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10/20/2022 - Hello! My name is Edith and I am blessed to be a parishioner here at St. Polycarp. I was baptized catholic as a baby and I even did my First Communion here! Not too long after that, I rejected the idea to continue with my next sacrament of Confirmation. I was a pre-teen determined to go against any sort of religious formation or talk. I rejected God for many years. I went through many phases of my life. From atheist to agnostic than to what we know now as “New Age”. No matter what I still felt a great longing or something else that I could not find in all those things. A series of events took place in my heart in the year 2020. Finally, in December in a moment of true vulnerability, I did something I had not done in 20 years. I called out to God. I was met with a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. But in the end, my soul finally felt at peace. I knew at that very moment I could no longer deny the existence of God. That night my world changed. My desire to know God grew every day, yet I was still nervous about returning to church. Eventually a new desire was placed in my heart. The desire to be fully integrated in Jesus’ Church. I eventually reached out to St. Polycarp and met with a parish priest. He ever so kindly and gently invited me to join RCIA and through there I would complete the sacrament of Confirmation. I Immediately said yes! And I am very grateful and happy I accepted Father’s invitation. I grew in knowledge and in faith. In the process I also met so many wonderful and caring people. Maybe you’ve been away for a long time as well, maybe you too have a desire to complete your sacraments. Whatever it may be, the RCIA team is here to walk with you on your new journey. I am excited for anyone who will be joining this year and know you will not be doing this alone. I hope to meet and speak with all of you soon! God bless. Edith Rojas
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10/20/2022 - Hello! My name is Edith and I am blessed to be a parishioner here at St. Polycarp. I was baptized catholic as a baby and I even did my First Communion here! Not too long after that, I rejected the idea to continue with my next sacrament of Confirmation. I was a pre-teen determined to go against any sort of religious formation or talk. I rejected God for many years. I went through many phases of my life. From atheist to agnostic than to what we know now as “New Age”. No matter what I still felt a great longing or something else that I could not find in all those things. A series of events took place in my heart in the year 2020. Finally, in December in a moment of true vulnerability, I did something I had not done in 20 years. I called out to God. I was met with a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. But in the end, my soul finally felt at peace. I knew at that very moment I could no longer deny the existence of God. That night my world changed. My desire to know God grew every day, yet I was still nervous about returning to church. Eventually a new desire was placed in my heart. The desire to be fully integrated in Jesus’ Church. I eventually reached out to St. Polycarp and met with a parish priest. He ever so kindly and gently invited me to join RCIA and through there I would complete the sacrament of Confirmation. I Immediately said yes! And I am very grateful and happy I accepted Father’s invitation. I grew in knowledge and in faith. In the process I also met so many wonderful and caring people. Maybe you’ve been away for a long time as well, maybe you too have a desire to complete your sacraments. Whatever it may be, the RCIA team is here to walk with you on your new journey. I am excited for anyone who will be joining this year and know you will not be doing this alone. I hope to meet and speak with all of you soon! God bless. Edith Rojas