Fr. Joe Devlin Biography Project

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More Coming Soon

Fr. Ray wrote an amazing book, and I encourage you to read it. One huge issue is that this book is from the perspective of the brother of Fr. Joe and it had very little about Fr. Joe's actual interactions with refugees. I plan to add the direct and personal touch of many stories collected one at a time from interviewing former Boat People, reading published literature, and reading correspondence between Fr. Joe and various other people. 

I am one of the great-nephews of Fr. Joe Devlin. Paul Devlin, one of Fr. Joe's brothers is my grandfather on my dad's side of the family. 

I want to show the life of Fr. Joe Devlin in a format that is easy to read and provide the gripping life story of Fr. Joe from his early life in the Irish section of San Francisco to the refugee camp of Songkhla in Thailand and back to Los Gatos in California. I want young people, especially children of the Vietnamese Boat People to know the sacrifices their parents and grandparents made for them and for others, I want to provide this as a cautionary biography about the horrors of war and its aftermath. Fr. Joe's selfless bravery should be known as an inspiration to people, and I plan to make this happen. 

In October of 2025, I am hoping for two years or so from now. Much can change, but I do hope to get it published within that time period. 

If you have a story to share, if you want to send a photo of Fr. Joe Devlin, or memories, please use the contact form on this site and get in touch with me.