St. John's News

Fr. Tri Minh Duong, C.M., Vincentian for Service and Justice and Campus Minister for Athletics at St. John’s University was named “New Yorker of the Week” by NY1 News on May 16. 

“For bringing the St. John's community to people in need and helping to transform their lives, Father Tri Minh Duong is our New Yorker of the Week,” reporter Michael Scotto said during the evening broadcast on NY1 that featured Fr. Tri at the St. John’s Bread and Life Soup Kitchen with volunteers from the School of Law. 

See Fr. Tri on NY1

In his two years at St. John’s, Fr. Tri has worked with hundreds of volunteers – students, faculty, administrators and staff – guiding them at “Fridays in the Soup Kitchen,” trips to the Ozanam Nursing Home, and visiting the St. Nick’s Men’s Shelter with student-athletes, among many other community service ventures he has worked on. 

“The students find him an amazing presence on this campus and he is a wonderful model for Vincentian service,” said Victoria Migliore, Campus Director of Campus Ministry.  “He supports so many events to build relationships at St. John’s and goes above and beyond to connect our students to service and the Vincentian charism.”

Fr. Tri has not only helped the St. John’s community give back in its own neighborhood, but has also helped St. John’s with its global outreach.  Currently, Fr. Tri is on his third “plunge” in Panama with Migliore and 14 student volunteers.  The group is traveling to the Chiriqui area for a week of hands-on service to the underprivileged in the communities there.  He has supervised two other student trips to Panama, as well as service missions to New Orleans, Philadelphia and Lourdes, France. 

Born in Saigon, Vietnam, Fr. Tri came to the United States at age 20 and later joined the Vincentian Community.  He was ordained a priest in 2005 and began his work at St. John’s University shortly thereafter.