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25-09-2006, 08:39 AM
November 26
Saint Thomas ĐINH VIẾT DỤ
Dominican Priest
(1783-1839)
If we were asked the following question: “You are about to be imprisoned for a long time, what do you want to have with you?” We would have unique answers, but they would al relate to two needs: money and things of daily use. Saint Thomas Dụ’s answer through his action was very different. His only possession, his only weapon which was also his only luggage, was the rosary. Throughout his life, he had recited, lived and spread the message of the Holy Rosary to all. Now, he continued to entrust his life under the protection of the Blessed Mary.
* A Life of Sacrifice.
Thomas Đinh Viết Dụ was born circa 1783 in the village of Phú Nhai, Nam Định province. Called by God, he decided the life of the religious at a young age. After ordained into the priesthood, Fr. joined the Dominican religious order and professed the solemn vow on 12/21/1814. He was a dedicated disciple working for the benefits of the faithful. At the same time, he was also a religious exemplifying the contemplative life, immersing daily in intense meditation to the point that his fellow religious called him “Vietnamese Saint Bruno”.
Fr. Dụ ministered to many different parishes before arriving to Liễu Đề parish, Bùi Chu, to replace Fr. Peter Tuần who was arrested in 1838. On 20.5.1839, under King Minh Mạng’s edict of persecution, Governor Trịnh Quang Khanh led 800 soldiers to surround Liễu Đề village because of information from an informer of the presence of the “priest named Vọng”, Bishop Hermosilla Liêm, but soldiers could not find Bishop Hermosilla Liêm. In the meantime, Fr. Dụ, just finishing mass at Mrs. Anê Thu’s house, was warned of the military presence surrounding the village. Unable to escape to his hiding place in the distance, he dressed up as a laborer and picked weeds in the garden of the house next door. Passing soldiers did not recognize him, but the informer could and pointed out: “There is a priest.” Therefore he was arrested and led to the commanding official who was at he town’s temple. Fr. Dụ calmly said: “I am a priest responsible for the faithful here.”
The official asked for the whereabouts of Fr. Hermosilla Vọng and other priests, Fr. Dụ did not provide any information. Infuriated, the official had him searched for documents and money, but found only the rosary which the soldiers confiscated, then gave him 21 canes. Fr. Dụ accepted the torture happily without a word of complaint. For not putting the sacramental vessels, Mrs. Agnes Thu was also arrested and kept at the village temple for 24 hours and then released.
* Let Thy Will be Done....
Fr. Thomas Dụ’s neck was put in cangue, legs in shackle and hands tied up like a criminal and brought to the province of Nam Định’s court. Here, the authorities continued interrogations and urged him to walk over the cross. But, no matter how enticing or threatening were the authorities’ words, Fr. Dụ decisively did not offend the cross nor reveal any thing concerning Christians. He was tortured severely many times: the first time, he was beaten 90 canes, 30 canes the second time, then 20 canes. He also suffered from offensive and derisive words from curious spectators.
After the tortures, he was put back in jail. He was put in cangue during the day and in shackles at night. Additionally, he had to face hunger, steamy heat and smelly cell. Nevertheless, Christ’s disciple did not only show patience and endurance, but also happiness in accepting these trials as opportunities to pray and to follow in Christ’s footsteps. Joseph Hiền, a witness, retold the visit his mother, who disguised as a beggar to visit the priest in jail. Seeing that Fr. Dụ was exhausted due to maltreatment, she burst out in tears. Fr. Dụ told her:
“Even though my health is deteriorated, I can still endure some more. Our God had suffered innumerable pain to save the world, I am also willing to receive these sufferings to be like Christ.”
* Glory Be Thy Name...
On her second visit, Fr. Dụ told her that the latest tortures did not pain him as much as earlier ones, as if God lessened his pain. When saying goodbye, the priest said:
“I do not know when I can give my life to God, you will not probably see me again. For the glorification of God’s name, please pray that God will bless me with the determination to handle every thing that will be done to me.”
After months of imprisonment and tortures, the authorities announced the following sentence:
“Fr. Thomas Đinh Viết Dụ is sentenced to death by decapitation for spreading the bad Christian religion. The authorities had advised, threatened and tortured to make him walk over the cross according to the law, but he did not listen. He had become hardened and unable to cleanse himself off all the deep-rooted heresies... As a result, everyone can see that he is an incurable, stubborn and scornful fool. Therefore, he has to be punished severely without any further comment.”
In reality, Fr. Dụ never uttered a word of complaint upon hearing his sentence. King Minh Mạng signed the sentence on November 7 and arrived at Nam Định on November 12. During this time, Fr. Dominic Nguyễn Văn Xuyên, also a Dominican, who was arrested on August 18, was brought to the same prison, jailed in the same cell, and also sentenced to death. Happy to seeing each other in the same jail, the two brothers in Christ talked, blessed each other with the sacrament of reconciliation, and encouraged each other to be resolute to the end.
* Silver Jubilee in Heaven.
On 11/26/1839 God’s two disciples was brought to the execution field. The two calmly walked in the middle of a magnificent army with commanding officials on elephants surrounded by flags, banners and gongs, followed horde of spectators. Carrying cangues on their shoulders and shackles on their hands, the priests prayed as they walked, exhibiting cheerful appearance that amazed spectators. The magistrate offered them the last chance to be freed if they walked over the cross. The priests replied tersely: “No.” And they continued to pray until they reached the execution field of Bảy Mẫu. Mrs. Mary Ơn, who was present at the execution, described the execution: “I saw the two priests kneel down and clapped their hands together, looking up to the heaven. Guards saw off the cangues, cut the chains, tied their hands to the stakes and swing at the two priests’ necks.” After carrying out the execution, the executioner tossed the heads into the air three times and announced: “Head of the decapitated priest.”
Fr. Thomas Đinh Viết Dụ, 56 years old, received the grace of martyrdom in the year of his silver jubilee of his priesthood, a jubilee that was recorded in the history of the Church. The bodies of the two priests were buried at the execution field. In January of 1841, Christians exhumed and buried them in Lục Thuỷ.
Pope Leo XIII elevated the Dominican priest Thomas Đinh Viết Dụ to the rank of blessed on 5/27/1900. Henceforth, The martyrs’ relics were put in golden vaults on displayed at the church in Phú Nhai. Generations will forever remember the witness of faith, a beloved son of the Blessed Queen of the Rosary.
Saint Thomas ĐINH VIẾT DỤ
Dominican Priest
(1783-1839)
If we were asked the following question: “You are about to be imprisoned for a long time, what do you want to have with you?” We would have unique answers, but they would al relate to two needs: money and things of daily use. Saint Thomas Dụ’s answer through his action was very different. His only possession, his only weapon which was also his only luggage, was the rosary. Throughout his life, he had recited, lived and spread the message of the Holy Rosary to all. Now, he continued to entrust his life under the protection of the Blessed Mary.
* A Life of Sacrifice.
Thomas Đinh Viết Dụ was born circa 1783 in the village of Phú Nhai, Nam Định province. Called by God, he decided the life of the religious at a young age. After ordained into the priesthood, Fr. joined the Dominican religious order and professed the solemn vow on 12/21/1814. He was a dedicated disciple working for the benefits of the faithful. At the same time, he was also a religious exemplifying the contemplative life, immersing daily in intense meditation to the point that his fellow religious called him “Vietnamese Saint Bruno”.
Fr. Dụ ministered to many different parishes before arriving to Liễu Đề parish, Bùi Chu, to replace Fr. Peter Tuần who was arrested in 1838. On 20.5.1839, under King Minh Mạng’s edict of persecution, Governor Trịnh Quang Khanh led 800 soldiers to surround Liễu Đề village because of information from an informer of the presence of the “priest named Vọng”, Bishop Hermosilla Liêm, but soldiers could not find Bishop Hermosilla Liêm. In the meantime, Fr. Dụ, just finishing mass at Mrs. Anê Thu’s house, was warned of the military presence surrounding the village. Unable to escape to his hiding place in the distance, he dressed up as a laborer and picked weeds in the garden of the house next door. Passing soldiers did not recognize him, but the informer could and pointed out: “There is a priest.” Therefore he was arrested and led to the commanding official who was at he town’s temple. Fr. Dụ calmly said: “I am a priest responsible for the faithful here.”
The official asked for the whereabouts of Fr. Hermosilla Vọng and other priests, Fr. Dụ did not provide any information. Infuriated, the official had him searched for documents and money, but found only the rosary which the soldiers confiscated, then gave him 21 canes. Fr. Dụ accepted the torture happily without a word of complaint. For not putting the sacramental vessels, Mrs. Agnes Thu was also arrested and kept at the village temple for 24 hours and then released.
* Let Thy Will be Done....
Fr. Thomas Dụ’s neck was put in cangue, legs in shackle and hands tied up like a criminal and brought to the province of Nam Định’s court. Here, the authorities continued interrogations and urged him to walk over the cross. But, no matter how enticing or threatening were the authorities’ words, Fr. Dụ decisively did not offend the cross nor reveal any thing concerning Christians. He was tortured severely many times: the first time, he was beaten 90 canes, 30 canes the second time, then 20 canes. He also suffered from offensive and derisive words from curious spectators.
After the tortures, he was put back in jail. He was put in cangue during the day and in shackles at night. Additionally, he had to face hunger, steamy heat and smelly cell. Nevertheless, Christ’s disciple did not only show patience and endurance, but also happiness in accepting these trials as opportunities to pray and to follow in Christ’s footsteps. Joseph Hiền, a witness, retold the visit his mother, who disguised as a beggar to visit the priest in jail. Seeing that Fr. Dụ was exhausted due to maltreatment, she burst out in tears. Fr. Dụ told her:
“Even though my health is deteriorated, I can still endure some more. Our God had suffered innumerable pain to save the world, I am also willing to receive these sufferings to be like Christ.”
* Glory Be Thy Name...
On her second visit, Fr. Dụ told her that the latest tortures did not pain him as much as earlier ones, as if God lessened his pain. When saying goodbye, the priest said:
“I do not know when I can give my life to God, you will not probably see me again. For the glorification of God’s name, please pray that God will bless me with the determination to handle every thing that will be done to me.”
After months of imprisonment and tortures, the authorities announced the following sentence:
“Fr. Thomas Đinh Viết Dụ is sentenced to death by decapitation for spreading the bad Christian religion. The authorities had advised, threatened and tortured to make him walk over the cross according to the law, but he did not listen. He had become hardened and unable to cleanse himself off all the deep-rooted heresies... As a result, everyone can see that he is an incurable, stubborn and scornful fool. Therefore, he has to be punished severely without any further comment.”
In reality, Fr. Dụ never uttered a word of complaint upon hearing his sentence. King Minh Mạng signed the sentence on November 7 and arrived at Nam Định on November 12. During this time, Fr. Dominic Nguyễn Văn Xuyên, also a Dominican, who was arrested on August 18, was brought to the same prison, jailed in the same cell, and also sentenced to death. Happy to seeing each other in the same jail, the two brothers in Christ talked, blessed each other with the sacrament of reconciliation, and encouraged each other to be resolute to the end.
* Silver Jubilee in Heaven.
On 11/26/1839 God’s two disciples was brought to the execution field. The two calmly walked in the middle of a magnificent army with commanding officials on elephants surrounded by flags, banners and gongs, followed horde of spectators. Carrying cangues on their shoulders and shackles on their hands, the priests prayed as they walked, exhibiting cheerful appearance that amazed spectators. The magistrate offered them the last chance to be freed if they walked over the cross. The priests replied tersely: “No.” And they continued to pray until they reached the execution field of Bảy Mẫu. Mrs. Mary Ơn, who was present at the execution, described the execution: “I saw the two priests kneel down and clapped their hands together, looking up to the heaven. Guards saw off the cangues, cut the chains, tied their hands to the stakes and swing at the two priests’ necks.” After carrying out the execution, the executioner tossed the heads into the air three times and announced: “Head of the decapitated priest.”
Fr. Thomas Đinh Viết Dụ, 56 years old, received the grace of martyrdom in the year of his silver jubilee of his priesthood, a jubilee that was recorded in the history of the Church. The bodies of the two priests were buried at the execution field. In January of 1841, Christians exhumed and buried them in Lục Thuỷ.
Pope Leo XIII elevated the Dominican priest Thomas Đinh Viết Dụ to the rank of blessed on 5/27/1900. Henceforth, The martyrs’ relics were put in golden vaults on displayed at the church in Phú Nhai. Generations will forever remember the witness of faith, a beloved son of the Blessed Queen of the Rosary.