Formation Support for Vietnam (FSVN) is a non-profit organization incorporated in the State of Texas since 2010. We assist the Church in Vietnam in the formation and education of clergy, religious, and seminarians for ministry. We help these students with their academic and spiritual formation by seeking scholarships from U.S. colleges and universities, seeking arrangements of room and board, and providing them with academic, cross-cultural, spiritual, and legal support.

The need for formation and education of religious and priests in Vietnam arises from its social context. After the Vietnam War, all Catholic education have been suppressed and Catholic schools and seminaries were shut down. Religious and priests in Vietnam have not had access to professional training. The Vietnamese political situation has now eased up somewhat. The number of religious and clergy has been flourishing, with a significant number of new vocations among priests and religious. There are 181 men and women religious congregations in 26 dioceses. Each of them currently has on average about 100 postulants. Men and women of religious carry out different ministries, including educating young Christians and non-Christians, taking care of HIV infected individuals, lepers, and orphans, and advancing the flourishing of women.

Due to the lack of finance, men and women religious and clergy lack training and education in leadership and professional skills. Thus, we hope to provide support resources for religious and priests in the Catholic Church of Vietnam. Upon completion of their studies, these religious and priests will return to Vietnam and make contributions to the mission and ministry of the Catholic Church in Vietnam and the Vietnamese society.

Since 2006, with the generous support of Catholic colleges and universities, men and women religious orders as well as dioceses in the United States, we have been bringing nearly 200 Vietnamese religious, seminarians, and priests from all 26 archdioceses and dioceses of Vietnam studying in the United States. They are studying different levels from the English as Second Language program to Bachelors, Masters and doctoral degrees in various disciplines: education, theology, philosophy, psychology, and healthcare, just name a few. Some of them have returned to Vietnam and have been involved in teaching, formation, and social services in convents, clinics, social service centers, and seminaries.
 

• Totally 210 assisted students are currently in the United States, including 138 Sisters, 32 priests, 26 seminarians, and 14 Brothers.
• A third of students (78 students) are currently in the English as a Second Language program. More than a quarter (61 students) are in A.A./B.A. programs. Around a quarter (46 students) are in M.A. programs. 11 students are in doctoral programs. And 14 are doing ministry.
• Students currently study and minister in 31 states and District of Columbia in the United States. The most popular states are Connecticut, followed by Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Texas, Indiana, Missouri, and New York with at least more than 10 students studying and ministering in each state.
• There are 78 students who have returned to Vietnam upon their study completion: 40 Sisters, 19 priests, and 13 seminarians.