Seminarians Hoan Tran and Hunter Dickens stand before Bishop William F. Medley during the Rite of Candidacy, which took place at the Aug. 1 Saturday vigil Mass at St. Thomas More Parish in Paducah. RILEY GREIF | WKC
Two seminarians accepted into candidacy
BY WKC STAFF
On Aug. 1 during the Saturday evening Mass at St. Thomas More Parish in Paducah, diocesan seminarians Hunter Dickens and Hoan Tran participated in the Rite of Candidacy, which is the next milestone in their formation and discernment process.
Dickens’ home parish is St. Thomas More, and his family attended the Mass to witness this next step on his discernment journey. Tran’s family resides in Vietnam and was unable to attend in-person, so the liturgy was livestreamed so that they could watch along.
Please continue to keep all of the diocese’s seminarians in your prayers as they continue to discern God’s will in their lives. Learn more at owensborovocations.com.
(Foreground) Fr. Chris Kight, Fr. Stephen Van Lal Than, and Fr. Corey D. Bruns listen during Bishop William F. Medley’s Aug. 1 homily during Mass at St. Thomas More Parish in Paducah, during which seminarians Hunter Dickens and Hoan Tran were accepted into candidacy. In the background to the left, seminarian Adam Clark looks on. RILEY GREIF | WKC
Seminarians Hoan Tran and Hunter Dickens stand before Bishop William F. Medley during the Rite of Candidacy, which took place at the Aug. 1 Saturday vigil Mass at St. Thomas More Parish in Paducah. RILEY GREIF | WKC
Bishop William F. Medley greets two of the altar servers at the Aug. 1 Mass at St. Thomas More Parish in Paducah, where seminarians Hunter Dickens and Hoan Tran were accepted into candidacy. RILEY GREIF | WKC
Originally printed in the September 2026 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
