I was born in Grand Rapids, MI in 1952. I grew up in our Redemptorist parish of St. Alphonsus there and entered the Redemptorist seminary in 9th grade (1966). I was ordained a priest in 1978 and spent one year as a pastoral associate at the Redemptorist parish of Holy Name in Omaha, NE.  I was sent to Rome, Italy to pursue a degree in Moral Theology at the Alphonsian Academy,  the Redemptorist Institute for Higher Studies in Moral Theology. I received my doctorate in moral theology in 1986, specializing in the area of bioethics. I was then invited to teach at that very academy and taught classes in bioethics for the next 10 years. In 1996, I returned to the U.S.A. and was assigned to the Redemptorist parish of Blessed Sacrament in Chicago, IL where I ministered to African-Americans, Latinos, and a small number of Anglos. In 2005, I was assigned to our parish of St. Alphonsus in Minneapolis, MN., and worked primarily with the Spanish-speaking immigrants, building a large Latino ministry in the parish. I was reassigned in 2015 to the Redemptorist parish of Holy Ghost in Houston as pastor where I presently live. I am very pleased to be living and working in a culturally diverse environment that is Holy Ghost Parish and Houston in general. 

 

 



My name is Fr. Binh Ta. I was born in a coastal town of South Vietnam, into a “small family” of “only” 12 children (3 girls and 9 boys). I am the fifth child. Both of my parents are now deceased, mom went first in 2007 and dad later in 2014. All of my siblings are living in various parts of the Greater Metropolitan of Houston.
 
Though we grew up as Catholic, a great number of our friends and neighbors were either Buddhists or Animists (ancestors worshippers). As a result of that rich religious and spiritual heritage, I have always found people of different cultures or faiths as a blessing to be treasured and be nurtured.
 
I lived in Vietnam until 16 years of age. In 1979, due to intense socio-political unrest in my motherland, my family and I escaped from there on a small boat (as boat-people), and ended up in a refugee camp in Indonesia. After 10 months in the camp, we/I finally arrived in Houston in 1980, and have resettled here as our new home ever since.
 
During my college years at the University of Houston, a friend of mine introduced me to religious life. After months of praying and seeking spiritual advice, I joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (popularly known as “Redemptorists”) in August 1985. Eight years later, I was ordained as a Redemptorist priest right here at Holy Ghost.
 
Since my ordination in 1993, I have been blessed to work in a rich variety of ministries - parish setting (Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Seattle), community organizing in public schools and neighborhoods (Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans), provincial administrations, formation / seminary training (Chicago), retreat / mission preaching, university campus chaplaincy (Houston), etc. Last year the Redemptorists of the Denver Province sent me to Mexico for several months of culture and language immersion.
 
Today comes a full circle - being ordained here at Holy Ghost, and being back here to serve God with you and among you at this great parish!  Soon after I got here in August (2019), a parishioner asked me, “Father, what do you dream for your time here at Holy Ghost?” Though I was caught by surprise with this great question, I could only share with him, “My tiny hope is that we KNOW GOD today a bit more than yesterday, and love God enough to share him with other people in the area. I hope that we enjoy each other’s company so much here that we look forward to hanging out together for eternity in heaven.” Well, days and months have passed since that chatting. If I were asked again today, my answer would be, “just the same” (be holy, be fun, be kind)!