frjack Loc: Boston, MA

Had the opportunity to spend some time with the Jesuit community in Saigon in August 2011 while returning home from Australia via Saigon and Taipei. Hot and humid were the operative words. It was a remarkable visit thanks to another Jesuit with whom I had spent the previous ten months in Australia. John was very generous with his time, taking me to My Tho for three days and then later getting me to the novitiate. I was less than enthusiastic about riding for 45 minutes on the back of a motorcycle but kept the anxiety to myself.

Over the past weeks have been shifting all of my photos from a variety of external drives to a single solid state drive and reprocessing with Capture One 21 after upgrading from 10. The vast majority of the transfers are raw which gives me the opportunity to rethink things, reprocess, and edit more aggressively. Doing a lot of black and white conversion.

Statue of Mary in front of the Saigon Cathedral known as 'the red cathedral' as it is constructed of red brick brought over from France.

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The 'street economy' was astonishing, not including the foods available from open markets and street vendors.

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Taken from a moving van while crossing the Mekong River on the way to My Tho.

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Woman transporting wood on a bike. I suspect for repair of house walls or roof.

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I think of scenes such as this in Asia as I am getting whiny about Boston traffic which, I can generally avoid.

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Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

MFTVGirl Loc: Baltimore, MD

Fascinating scenes - thanks for sharing!

frjack Loc: Boston, MA

Thanks. The trip there was one of the most unexpected ever. Deeply moving given that I had friends and classmates who died during the war.

Photolady2014 Loc: Southwest Colorado

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Great set.

Abo

Just imagine how much worse it would be if they all drove cars.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Very nice. I gather the Jesuits led a different lifestyle than a parish priest.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Interesting photos, enjoyed.

Tdearing Loc: Rockport, TX

Very interesting, thank you.

frjack Loc: Boston, MA

We live very different lives and lifestyles compared with parish priests, a form of life to which I am not called at all. This is true of almost any comparison of a religious order priest and a parish or 'secular' priest. Men must figure out if their vocations are to the diocesan priesthood or to one of the religious orders. Within the category of 'religious priest' the question becomes "which order?" I have tremendous admiration for the monastic orders, especially the Trappists, Benedictines, and Carthusians, and have periodically lectured in their monasteries or made retreats there, but those are not the places to which I was called.

Despite the differences in geography members of a particular order have more in common in their way of life than they differ. This is driven by the 'rule' 'the statutes' or, for Jesuits, 'the constitutions' that give detailed guidance in how to live. In the end it takes at least eight years to become fully incorporated into a religious order.

HistoryLover Loc: Landenberg,Pa.

AH, yes. That last picture brings back memories. The traffic and congestion was amazing. But even more amazing was, I never saw one accident while I was in Saigon! Motorcycles, bicycles, taxicabs, Ped-i-Cabs, all fighting for a spot; and pedestrians trying to get across the street. Amazing.

frjack Loc: Boston, MA

Correct. I was told when I went to Taipei the first time that, when crossing the street, do not slow down, stop, or change pace. The driver will adjust to you. Is true. The only close call I had was when I forgot that and did not simply keep up a steady pace. In Saigon I would sometimes "draft" behind an older woman carrying bags.

tcthome Loc: NJ