By Dennis Kellogg
Director of Communications
The award-winning documentary “Our Lady at the Center,” about the Our Lady of La Vang apparition in Vietnam and her shrine in the United States, will be shown in Lincoln and Hastings Sunday, April 26.
The free showings from the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln’s Office of Communications will include a presentation and question-and-answer session with the film’s executive producer and producer who will travel from California for the event.
Our Lady of La Vang is an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vietnam dating back to 1798. The widespread persecution of Catholics in Vietnam at the time included the torture and killing of Catholics and the destruction of churches. Many fled to the jungles to hide, where Our Lady of La Vang appeared to them to provide comfort and encouragement.
The Vatican has not recognized Our Lady of La Vang as an official Marian apparition, although in 1988 Pope John Paul II acknowledged her importance to Vietnamese Catholics.
See also: 2025 Our Lady of La Vang celebration at North American Martyrs
Dr. Elysabeth Nguyen, the film’s executive producer, and her brother Dr. Scott Nguyen, the producer of the film, were both raised in Omaha. Elysabeth was born in Vietnam and then grew up in Omaha, moving with her family to California when she was 14. She and Scott have good memories of their time in Nebraska, from their diverse elementary school where they made friends with children from many different backgrounds, to the four seasons during the year they miss now living in California.
The “Our Lady at the Center” documentary details the history of the Our Lady of La Vang apparition, and also the effort to build a 12-foot-tall Italian marble statue and a shrine to her at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, Orange County, Calif. Elysabeth was involved in that project and led the efforts to raise about $12 million for its construction.
As documented in the film, Elysabeth returned to Vietnam to visit the original Our Lady of La Vang shrine.
“My mom actually used to tell me stories of her father taking her to La Vang every month,” Elysabeth said. “So, when the project came up, I felt like it is because I’m Catholic, but also, it’s family. I felt like this is something that will allow me to know more about my country, my family roots and my own immediate family, because we’re from there.”
While in Vietnam, she spoke the local dialect, which surprised those hosting her. She told them it was her grandma’s tongue.
Elysabeth’s devotion to Our Lady of La Vang came about in part because she received her own miracle. When she was going through a difficult pregnancy, her doctor told her either she or her baby may not survive. As she was going into surgery, her mother told her to pray to Our Lady of La Vang.
“Try it. Believe in her, tell her that you want to be a mom and she will listen,” Elysabeth recalled her mother telling her. “I said something like, ‘I just want to be a mom once, and I will help you build your Son’s Church. Whatever it takes, you have my commitment.’ And I never forgot that promise.”
Her daughter Angeline was born healthy. Elysabeth began to be more involved in her parish and eventually was asked to lead the efforts regarding the Our Lady of La Vang shrine and film project. She now serves as the CEO of the Our Lady of La Vang Foundation.
She wanted her brother Scott, a filmmaker, to join her in producing the “Our Lady at the Center” documentary, which has won numerous awards including the 2025 Best Documentary Award from the Los Angeles Tribune International Film Festival.
“I’ve been a filmmaker for a long time and produce content across the board... but I never really got into faith projects until now,” Scott said. “It’s also a miracle to have a good (film) and to win accolades and be recognized by these film festivals. It’s all Mother Mary’s intercession.”
Scott added that he and his wife have been asking for Mary’s help for a long time as they prayed for a child, and they are now expecting a baby girl, another miracle he credits to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Elysabeth and Scott are looking forward to returning to Nebraska to present the “Our Lady at the Center” film to audiences in a state that has played such an important part in their lives. Both said the film has been popular with both Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese audiences.
“Part of the reason for doing this project is I really want the non-Vietnamese Catholics to also learn about Our Lady of La Vang and bring those Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese together and get them involved in projects together,” Elysabeth said. “The ones that come out (of the film) blown away are actually the non-Vietnamese.”
The documentary including the presentation by Dr. Elysabeth Nguyen and Dr. Scott Nguyen will be shown on Sunday, April 26 at 12:30 p.m. at North American Martyrs Church in Lincoln and again at 6 p.m. at the Hastings Museum Theatre in Hastings.
No pre-registration is required for the Lincoln showing, but those attending the Hastings showing do need to register in advance, due to limited seating in the theatre. Both showings are free and open to all.
