In their Jubilee Year, Vietnamese Catholics remember their first catechist martyr
He was born in 1625 or 1626 in Mang Lang parish, Qui Nhon Diocese, in Phu Yen Province, and was killed in 1644 at the age of 19 or 20, becoming the first Vietnamese catechist to give his life for the faith (pictured, his execution in a 17th century painting).
Saint Andrew Phu Yen was baptised at the age of 15 by Fr Alexandre de Rhodes, the great Jesuit missionary who wrote the first catechism in Vietnamese and is the author of a Portuguese-Latin-Vietnamese dictionary, which gave the country the Latin alphabet that it still uses.
Young Andrew was studying Chinese characters at the time. The next year he joined the group founded by Father de Rhodes that taught catechism.
Andrew, who wanted to complete his education, was assigned to another catechist, Inhaxio. The young student made strides very quickly in learning the catechism and the Bible and in understanding the ways to serve God.
The group led Father de Rhodes (Dac Lo in Vietnamese) included a dozen people and was successful in spreading the Gospel. However, this raised suspicions in the court of the Nguyen dynasty, leading to tensions.
The missionary activity by Saint Andrew’s group was conducted in Quang Nam province. Here local officials wanted to eliminate Brother Inhaxio, who however was far away. Saint Andrew too was warned that he would be tried and sentenced to death. Home alone, he willingly took the place of the elderly brother, and in front of the court, he showed an extraordinary strong faith. “I wished I had thousands of lives to consecrate to God.”
Between 1627 and 1886, Vietnamese kings fought Christianity using many cruel means like beheading. Catholics resisted and won. However, more 130,000 lost their lives with 117 proclaimed Martyr Saints from all classes, bishops, priests and lay people alike. The result is that today, Vietnam has 7 million Catholics.
After the country was reunified in 1975, many left and are spread around the world. However, they continue to remember the young martyr. Every year, the St Luke's Revesby Parish in Sydney (Australia) commemorates the anniversary of Saint Andrew.
“Saint Andre Phu Yen preached to everyone. He was brave and loyal in courage and patience, helping tens of thousands of souls, bringing the Good News to everyone,” said Nguyen Van Tuyet, who is responsible for the local Vietnamese Catholic community.
“Vietnamese Catholics have helped the members of the community to be more united and grow together,” said Father Geoffrey, St. Luke's Revesby parish priest.
On 25 July 1644, Saint Andrew was brought before a mandarin, i.e. bureaucrat, who tried various ways to get him “to abandon his foolish beliefs.” The young man replied that he was a Christian and was ready to suffer rather than abandon his faith. His serenity and willingness to suffer for Christ were such that people would ask him to pray for them. He answered calling on God to give him the grace to remain faithful until the end and “respond with fullness of love to the infinite love of his Lord, who gave his life for mankind.”
The day after, 26 July, Andrew was led to a public audience with governor and was sentenced to death. In the afternoon, an official led him through the streets of Ke Cham until the place of execution, a field outside the city.
The group was followed by Father de Rhodes and included many Portuguese and Vietnamese Christians as well as some pagans, who watched the execution.
Andrew exhorted Christians to remain firm in their faith and not be saddened by his death. Instead, he urged them to help him by means of prayers to remain faithful until the end.
He was executed with some blows with a lance. Just before he was beheaded with a scimitar, he cried out the name of Jesus.
.png)
21/07/2005
19/11/2022 16:01
