by Nguyen Vu


Condolences and emotion accompanied the news of the death of the Vietnamese priest, for 38 years at the helm of the only Catholic voice in Asia. He always called his work in the communications industry an "honor”. To the faithful of the remote areas he was "a source of happiness and spirituality." Buddhist in Manila: he infused "peace and inner calm."

Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) - Catholics, Buddhists, followers of other religions in Vietnam and the Philippines have received with deep sorrow and mourning news of the death of Msgr. Peter Nguyễn Văn Tà, former director of Radio Veritas,, the Filipino Catholic radio, which he led for 38 years.

He passed away yesterday at 2:30 in the morning at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam, where he was hospitalized following the worsening of an incurable disease. Interviewed in the past by AsiaNews, the priest said he was honored to work "in the field of communications in Catholic circles, in the service of the Church and the faithful of Asia". To these he added several "charitable" initiatives and "various social activities."
Msgr. Peter, 66, was born December 17, 1947 at Lop Rạch, a small parish of the Diocese of Vinh Long, in the south of Vietnam. Fourth of six children, he entered the minor seminary of the diocese in 1958; 1965 to 1973 he studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Institute of St. Pius X in Da Lat. Ordained a priest on 19 December 1973 as a result he also studied in Rome and obtained his doctorate in philosophy.
For over 30 years he directed Radio Veritas, the only Catholic voice in Asia - in more than 20 languages ​​- based in Quezon City, Philippines. In the last meeting with AsiaNews, the Vietnamese priest recalled that "in my priestly life, next to the work in the communications industry, I have always loved to do charitable and social activities."

Msgr. Peter Nguyen Van Tài claims to have enthusiastically welcomed the request "of the Holy See" to lead the radio, at the service of the Church and of Vietnamese Catholics at home and abroad.
The news of the death of Vietnamese priest has generated profound sympathy and emotion in Catholic and non-Catholic circles across the continent, but particularly in Vietnam and the Philippines. Sr. Maria, of the diocese of Xuan Loc, lives in a "remote community" and every day "listens to Radio Veritas, and we followed the website." They were "our source of happiness and spirituality", in particular the transmission of the Pope’s Sunday Angelus and news programs, among the few "to tell the truth."
Even Mrs. Loan, a Vietnamese Catholic, claims to have listened to Radio Veritas "since 1975" because it has always offered "information on the Catholic Church, reflections and meditations on the Gospel, lives of the saints and witnesses of the faith." Mr. Jean Baptiste recalls in particular "The path of love", a program focused on the life and works of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. People have a "need to pray," emphasizes the man, who recalls that Mother Teresa had identified in prayer the channel of "love between God and man."

Not only Catholics but also Buddhists remember the figure of Vietnamese priest. Mr. Vinh, a Vietnamese Buddhist who lives in Manila, confirms that that he followed the  reflections of Msgr. Peter on the radio. "I listened to his teachings and prayers on the Gospel - he says - that were a source of peace and inner calm."
Thanks to Radio Veritas also Montagnards and the farmers of the poorest areas of Vietnam were able to follow Sunday Mass, have biblical teachings and be informed on the life of the Church. Mr. Ba, of the diocese of Mỹ Tho, emphasizes that the Asian Catholic programs "are useful and support us in our daily lives."

• VIETNAM
• -
• PHILIPPINES
• radio
• veritas
• Asian
• Catholics
• Msgr.
• Nguyễn
• Văn
• Tà
• death