Parish Clergy

Rev. Al Baca, Pastor
Epicopal Vicar of Ecumenism and Inter-Religion

Fr. Al in a native of California. He was born at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange and grew up in the city of Garden Grove. The family have been and still are members of St. Columban Church. Having graduated from St. Columban’s school, Father went on to Garden Grove High School and then Cal State Fullerton. In his fourth year he entered St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo and was ordained in 1989 for the Diocese of Orange. The following are the parish assignments he has been assigned to: St. Angela Merici in Brea, St. Joseph in Santa Ana, St. Anthony Claret in Anaheim, and Blessed Sacrament in Westminster. In 2003 Father Al was sent by Bishop Brown to Rome to study at the Angelicum University. Father received his license in Ecumenism and returned to the Diocese in 2005. Bishop Brown appointed him pastor of St. Cecilia’s parish in Tustin that year and in 2006 appointed him Officer of Ecumenism and Inter-Religion for the Diocese of Orange. In 2009, Bishop Brown appointed Father as Episcopal Vicar of Ecumenism and Inter-Religion for the Diocese of Orange.

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Fr Thomas De Nguyen, Parochial Vicar

Fr. Thomas was born in Vietnam and entered the Cistercian Order at the age of eleven. After graduating he interned and taught in the Diocese of Nha-Trang. From 1972 to 1980, he did his philosophical and theological studies at St. Joseph Seminary in Saigon. In 1980, Father escaped from Vietnam and ended up in a refugee camp in Thailand. From here he was able to continue his studies in Rome at the Collegio Urbano de Propagande Fide. In 1982, Father received his doctorate and was ordained a priest by Pope John Paul II. After Ordination, Father was sent to St. Wilfrich Church in Toronto, Canada as parochial vicar. He incardinated into the Diocese of London, Ont., Canada in 1990. From 1992 to 1994, he returned to Rome and studied at the Gregorian University where he received his Licentiate in Philosophy. From 1994 to 1997, he was pastor of St. Philip Church in Grand Point, Ontario. In 1997, Father Thomas arrived in California and has been in the following parishes as parochial vicar: St. John the Baptist, La Purisima, St. Boniface, Blessed Sacrament, St. Barbara and from 2009 to the present, parochial vicar of St. Cecilia’s.

Deacon Martin Ruiz

Deacon Ngo Dinh Dong

Deacon Dong Ngo was born on June 14 in Hai Phong, North Vietnam. At six years old, his family moved to Saigon, South Vietnam. After graduating from Phu Tho Technology School and Saigon Law School, he began working as a mechanical engineer for Shell Oil Company and later for Great Ocean Company until the fall of Saigon in 1975. At that point he fled from Vietnam to the United States with his father, two brothers and two sisters. While in the States, he returned to school to obtain another degree, graduating with a BSEE from California State Fullerton University 1984. His career then began at Boeing Company as a Sr. Engineer until 1991. Following this he ventured into several businesses of his own, finally settling comfortably as a franchisee of 7- Eleven, Inc.. He is married to Thuy K. Dang and has three children. He has been serving on the Vietnamese Community Council at St. Cecilia church for more than twenty years. In 2001, Father Timothy McCarthy, Pastor of St. Cecilia’s parish, sent him to the diaconate program. After four years of studying and spiritual formation, Bishop Tod Brown ordained him a deacon on April 30, 2005.

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