Fr. Linh Bui, the pastor of St. Ann's Catholic Church in Elgin, Oklahoma, and two missions associated with the parish, died on September 19 following a serious injury sustained in a fall earlier in the week.
Fr. Bui's death was announced in a Facebook post by Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City.
It is with great sadness that I announce that Father Linh Bui passed away this morning from his injuries. He received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, the apostolic pardon and many prayers and blessings. He was surrounded by the family who loved him dearly.
Please pray for the repose of his soul. Funeral arrangements will be provided in the near future.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Bui, 56, fell from an attic through the ceiling of the church's sacristy on Wednesday, September 17, said an article from local news outlet The Lawton Constitution. The church was undergoing repairs at the time, said the newspaper.
Despite emergency surgery, Bui was pronounced brain dead shortly after he was medi-flighted to Oklahoma City. He suffered a "severe brain bleed" and a collapsed lung. Bui was kept on life support until his family could arrive to say goodbye, said The Lawton Constitution.
On Facebook, many people remembered Bui for his kindness and pastoral care.
"Father Linh was one of the holiest people we were blessed to know. We got to know him personally and he was the kindest most humble and loving priest. May his soul rest in peace," said one commentator on Facebook.
Another recounted how one of the last things they talked about was inviting other people to Eucharistic Adoration, "because he didn’t just want us to spend time with the Lord, but also to bring others to Him. That is exactly how he lived and what he taught. He meant everything to my husband and me, and we will forever carry him in our hearts and in the way we walk with Jesus," she said.
"I have had the blessing of knowing Father Linh Bui since I first came to the United States and began attending Mass at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond," sand another, adding, "He was a gentle, humble, and approachable priest whose kindness touched many lives. It brings me deep sorrow to hear of his passing."
Another noted the loss especially for the Vietnamese community.
Sportsman
According to an obituary, Father Linh "enjoyed playing sports, especially volleyball and soccer, and swam regularly." He was also an "avid fisherman whose favorite fishing pal was his father."
The obituary relates:
Born in Lam Dong, Vietnam, on May 16, 1969, attended Ho Chi Minh University of Education for three years, before arriving in the U.S. and from 2000-2003 attended Santa Ana College in California, where he earned an associate degree of arts, then attended California State University Long Beach from 2003-2005, earning a Bachelor of Science degree.
Bui, who had previously attended Minh Hoa Seminary in Vietnam, entered Conception Seminary College in Missouri in 2008, earning a bachelor's degree in philosophical and theological studies. In 2014, he earned a master’s degree in divinity from St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology.
On June 28, 2014, Father Bui was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Paul S. Coakley at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Oklahoma City.
