In the midst of these torments, which usually terrify others, I am, by the grace of God, full of joy and gladness, because I am not alone – Christ is with me. Our Master bears the whole weight of the cross, leaving me only the tiniest, last bit. He is not a mere onlooker in my struggle, but a contestant and the victor and champion in the whole battle. Therefore upon his head is placed the crown of victory, and his members also share in his glory.
– Saint Paul Le-Bao-Tinh
Who were the Vietnamese Martyrs?
Today’s saints are written by Fr Nicholas Schofield in Saints of the Roman Calendar.
The feast celebrates the witness of 117 Vietnamese martyrs, who died between 1625 and 1886 and were canonised in 1988. They include St Andrew Dũng-Lạc (1795-1839), a Vietnamese diocesan priest who was beheaded at Hanoi in 1839. Twenty-one of the martyrs were foreign missionaries, such as St Théophane Vénard, a member of the Paris Society of the Foreign Missions, who was beheaded in 1861 and exercised a strong influence on St Thérèse of Lisieux.
Collect for St Andrew Dũng-Lạc & Companions
O God, source and origin of all fatherhood, who kept the Martyrs Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc and his companions faithful to the Cross of your Son, even to the shedding of their blood, grant, through their intercession, that, spreading your love among our brothers and sisters, we may be your children both in name and in truth. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Collecta
Deus, omnis paternitatis fons et origo, qui beatos martyres Andream et socios eius Cruci Filii tui usque ad sanguinis effusionem fideles effecisti, eorum intercessione concede, ut amorem tuum inter fratres propagantes filii tui nominari et esse valeamus. Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum.
Reflection on the Vietnamese Martyrs
Today’s feast celebrates the 117 Catholics martyred in Vietnam between 1625 and 1886, but Christian persecution in Vietnam has been so long and severe that there have been perhaps hundreds of thousands martyred for their faith. Such widespread persecution reminds us that those who converted and practiced the Catholic faith did so with full knowledge of the dangers they faced. That they chose to follow Jesus anyway reveals a depth of faith that many of us can barely conceive of. Catholics in the West do not risk their lives by following Christ, but nonetheless, our faith is controversial and our perceived values and beliefs are often despised. Let us pray to the Vietnamese Martyrs and be inspired by their witness to embrace the smaller risks we take by living our faith, knowing that the reward for choosing Jesus will be far greater than any persecution we could ever experience in this life.
List of Known Vietnamese Martyrs
- Andrew Dung-Lac An Tran, Vietnamese priest
- Andrew Thong Kim Nguyen, layman
- Andrew Trong Van Tran, layman and soldier
- Andrew Tuong Manh Nguyen, layman
- Anthony Dich Tien Nguyen, layman
- Anthony Quynh Huu Nguyen, layman and doctor
- Agnes Thanh-De Thi Le, laywoman
- Augustine Schoeffler Dong, MEP, French priest
- Augustine Huy Viet Phan, layman and soldier
- Augustine Moi Van Nguyen, layman
- Bernard Due Van Vu, Vietnamese priest
- Celement Ignatius Delgado Y, OP, Spanish bishop
- Dominic Cam Van Nguyen, Vietnamese priest
- Dominic Dat Dinh, layman and soldier
- Dominic Hanh Van Nguyen, OP, Vietnamese priest
- Dominic Henares Minh, Spanish bishop
- Dominic Huyen Van Tran, layman and fisherman
- Dominic Kham Trong Pham, layman and local judge
- Dominic Mau Duc Dinh, Vietnamese priest
- Dominic Mao Duc Nguyen, layman
- Dominic Nhi Duc Nguyen, layman
- Dominic Ninh Duy Tran, layman
- Dominic Nguyen Huy Nguyen, layman
- Dominic Toai Van Tran, layman and fisherman
- Dominic Trach-Doai Duc Vu, OP, Vietnamese priest
- Dominic Tuoc Dinh Vu, OP, Vietnamese priest
- Dominic Uy Van Bui, catechist
- Dominic Xuyen Van Nguyen, OP, Vietnamese priest
- Emmanuel Phung Van Le, layman
- Emmanuel Trieu Van Nguyen, Vietnamese priest
- Francis Chieu Van Do, catechist
- Francis Gil de Frederich Te, OP, Spanish priest
- Francis Isidore Gagelin Kinh, MEP, French priest
- Francis Jaccard Phan, MEP, French priest
- Francis Trung Van Tran, layman and military officer
- Francis Xavier Can Nguyen, catechist
- Francis Xavier Mau Trong Ha, catechist
- Hyacinth Casteñeda Gia, OP, Spanish priest
- James Nam Mai Do, Vietnamese priest
- Jerome Hermosilla Vong, OP, Spanish bishop
- John Charles Cornay Tan, MEP, French priest
- John Dat Viet Doan, Vietnamese priest
- John Hoan Trinh Doan, Vietnamese priest
- John Louis Bonnard Huong, MEP, French priest
- John Baptist Con Ngoc Tran, layman
- John Baptist Thanh Van Dinh, catechist
- Joseph Mary Díaz Sanjurjo An, OP, Spanish bishop
- Joseph Canh Luong Hoang, layman and doctor
- Joseph Fernandez Hien, OP, Spanish priest
- Joseph Hien Quang Do, Vietnamese priest
- Joseph Khang Duy Nguyen, catechist
- Joseph Luu Van Nguyen, layman
- Joseph Marchand Du, MEP, French priest
- Joseph Nghi-Kim Dinh Nguyen, Vietnamese priest
- Joseph Thi Dang Le, layman and military officer
- Joseph Uyen Dinh Nguyen, Vietnamese priest
- Joseph Vien Dinh Dang, Vietnamese priest
- Joseph Ta Trong Pham, layman and governor
- Joseph Tuc Quang Pham, layman
- Joseph Tuan Van Tran, OP, Vietnamese priest
- Joseph Tuan Van Tran, layman
- Lawrence Ngon Viet Pham, layman and soldier
- Lawrence Huong Van Nguyen, Vietnamese priest
- Luke Loan Ba Vu, Vietnamese priest
- Luke Thin Trong Pham, layman and governor
- Martin Tho Ngoc Tran, layman
- Martin Thinh Duc Ta, Vietnamese priest
- Matthew Alonzo Leciniana Dau, OP, Spanish priest
- Matthew Phuong-Dac Van Nguyen, layman
- Matthew Gam Van Le, layman and merchant
- Melchior García Sampedro Xuyen, OP, Spanish bishop
- Michael Hy Dinh Ho, layman and court mandarin
- Michael My Huy Nguyen, layman
- Nicholas The Duc Bui, layman and soldier
- Paul Buong Viet Tong, layman and military officer
- Paul Duong-Dong Van Vu, layman
- Paul Hanh Van Tran, layman
- Paul Khoan Khac Pham, Vietnamese priest
- Paul Loc Van Le, Vietnamese priest
- Paul My Van Nguyen, catechist
- Paul Ngan Nguyen, Vietnamese priest
- Paul Tinh Bao Le, Vietnamese priest
- Peter Almató Binh, OP, Spanish priest
- Peter Thuan Van Dinh, layman
- Peter Dung Van Dinh, layman
- Peter Da Huu Phan, layman and carpenter
- Peter Dumoulin-Borie Cao, MEP, French bishop
- Peter Duong Van Truong, catechist
- Peter Francis Néron Bac, MEP, French priest
- Peter Hieu Van Nguyen, catechist
- Peter Khanh Hoang, Vietnamese priest
- Peter Khoa Dang Vu, Vietnamese priest
- Peter Luu Van Nguyen, Vietnamese priest
- Peter Qui Cong Doan, Vietnamese priest
- Peter Thi Van Truong, Vietnamese priest
- Peter Truat Van Vu, catechist
- Peter Tu Van Nguyen, OP, Vietnamese priest
- Peter Tu Khac Nguyen, catechist
- Peter Tuan Ba Nguyen, Vietnamese priest
- Peter Tuy Le, Vietnamese priest
- Peter Van Van Doan/John Baptist Van Van Bach, catechist
- Philip Minh Van Phan, Vietnamese priest
- Simon Hoa Dac Phan, layman and doctor
- Stephen Theodore Cuenot The, MEP, French bishop
- Stephen Vinh Van Nguyen, layman
- Theophanes Vénard Ven, MEP, French priest
- Thomas De Van Nguyen, layman
- Thomas Du Viet Dinh, Vietnamese priest
- Thomas Thien Van Tran, seminarian
- Thomas Toan Dinh Dao, catechist
- Thomas Khuong Tuc Ngo, Vietnamese priest
- Valentine Berriochoa Vinh, OP, Spanish bishop
- Vincent Liem Hieu Pham, OP, Vietnamese priest
- Vincent Duong Van Pham, layman
- Vincent Diem The Nguyen, Vietnamese priest
- Vincent Tuong Manh Nguyen, layman and local judge
- Vincent Yen Do, OP, Vietnamese priest
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