admin
02-03-2006, 12:30 PM
April 7
Saint Peter NGUYỄN VĂN LỰU
Priest
(1812-1861)
* Commitment to the Mission
During the period of Christian persecution in Vietnam, shadows of native priest seemed to be at every execution. Even in the most dangerous situations, the native priests had bravely shown their presences, either disguising to enter prison to visit jailed Catholics, to give them sacraments, to hear confessions and to give communion, or at least discreetly waiting by the road leading to the execution site to give them absolution. Reverend Peter Nguyễn Văn Lựu was such a priest. He was arrested when he sneaked into jail to provide pastoral care.
* The Shepherd Caring for the Flock
Peter Nguyễn Văn Lựu was born in 1812 in Gò Vấp, Gia Định (Sài Gòn) province. At maturity, he gave himself to God and entered the seminary. He was sent to the Penang Major Seminary in Malaysia, then ordained a priest. He was then assigned to various parishes like Mặc Bắc, Sa Đéc, Mỹ Tho... He carried out his assignments seriously. He paid attention to each family in the parish, often visiting and counseling them. Parishioners loved and willingly listened to his words even when he reprimanded their mistakes. Fr. Peter had a minor flaw that he later shed. Because of his frequent contacts with people in the Mekong delta, he often drank rice wine with them. One day, he invited Fr. Thuyết to his boat for a few drinks, but Fr. Thuyết refused: “I do not drink for many reasons; drinking is expensive, less sober, and is good example for Catholics.” Right at that moment, Fr. Peter Lựu threw the bottle into the river and said: “From this day on, I no loner drink.” And he had faithfully kept his word.
Early 1853 Fr. Peter Lựu luckily escaped death. He was pastor of Mặc Bắc parish at the time and was just assigned to a different parish when Vĩnh Long mandarin armed with secret information came to arrest. Fr. Philip Phan Văn Minh and Mr. Joseph, parish leader, were arrested instead.
In 1860 Fr. Peter Lựu was pastor at Ba Gióng parish when the city mandarin ordered the arrest of all Catholic leaders in Xoài Mút and Ba Gióng (near Mỹ Tho). Caring for his parishioners, he often disguised himself to visit them in jail. The inmates considered him an angel that God sent to give them Eucharistic nourishment, grace, and peace. To smoothen his visits, many times he had to bribe the guards with money and cautious conversations with their superiors.
* Shining Example in Dark Jail
In December 1860 as he was visiting the inmates, unknowingly he left exposed a letter in his pocket. The prison inspector happened to see the letter and ordered his arrest. Knowing the futility of covering up his identity, he admitted to be a priest. Therefore, he was able to share the beatings and torments with his parishioners. From then on, he could not only console, encourage with words, but also with his determination to keep the faith. When the mandarins pressed him to renounce faith, he replied:
“Faith had absorbed into my bones and marrows, how can I reject it? Furthermore, a lay Catholic, even a catechist cannot reject faith, how could I as a priest reject my faith?”
Knowing that all tortures were fruitless, the Mỹ Tho mandarin condemned him to death by decapitation. On 4/7/1861 soldiers led the witness of faith a kilometer outside the city wall, then beheaded him by the side of the road. Being superstitious, after doing the beheading, the executioner dropped the saber and ran away.
The remains of the martyr were brought back and buried along with shackles and a jar of soil tainted with his blood. Later, his relics were placed in the main altar in the Mỹ Tho church. In 1860 his relics were again moved to the Sài Gòn cathedral.
On 5/2/1909 Pope Pius X elevated Fr. Peter Nguyễn Văn Lựu to the rank of blessed.
Hoàng Tôn Thất
Saint Peter NGUYỄN VĂN LỰU
Priest
(1812-1861)
* Commitment to the Mission
During the period of Christian persecution in Vietnam, shadows of native priest seemed to be at every execution. Even in the most dangerous situations, the native priests had bravely shown their presences, either disguising to enter prison to visit jailed Catholics, to give them sacraments, to hear confessions and to give communion, or at least discreetly waiting by the road leading to the execution site to give them absolution. Reverend Peter Nguyễn Văn Lựu was such a priest. He was arrested when he sneaked into jail to provide pastoral care.
* The Shepherd Caring for the Flock
Peter Nguyễn Văn Lựu was born in 1812 in Gò Vấp, Gia Định (Sài Gòn) province. At maturity, he gave himself to God and entered the seminary. He was sent to the Penang Major Seminary in Malaysia, then ordained a priest. He was then assigned to various parishes like Mặc Bắc, Sa Đéc, Mỹ Tho... He carried out his assignments seriously. He paid attention to each family in the parish, often visiting and counseling them. Parishioners loved and willingly listened to his words even when he reprimanded their mistakes. Fr. Peter had a minor flaw that he later shed. Because of his frequent contacts with people in the Mekong delta, he often drank rice wine with them. One day, he invited Fr. Thuyết to his boat for a few drinks, but Fr. Thuyết refused: “I do not drink for many reasons; drinking is expensive, less sober, and is good example for Catholics.” Right at that moment, Fr. Peter Lựu threw the bottle into the river and said: “From this day on, I no loner drink.” And he had faithfully kept his word.
Early 1853 Fr. Peter Lựu luckily escaped death. He was pastor of Mặc Bắc parish at the time and was just assigned to a different parish when Vĩnh Long mandarin armed with secret information came to arrest. Fr. Philip Phan Văn Minh and Mr. Joseph, parish leader, were arrested instead.
In 1860 Fr. Peter Lựu was pastor at Ba Gióng parish when the city mandarin ordered the arrest of all Catholic leaders in Xoài Mút and Ba Gióng (near Mỹ Tho). Caring for his parishioners, he often disguised himself to visit them in jail. The inmates considered him an angel that God sent to give them Eucharistic nourishment, grace, and peace. To smoothen his visits, many times he had to bribe the guards with money and cautious conversations with their superiors.
* Shining Example in Dark Jail
In December 1860 as he was visiting the inmates, unknowingly he left exposed a letter in his pocket. The prison inspector happened to see the letter and ordered his arrest. Knowing the futility of covering up his identity, he admitted to be a priest. Therefore, he was able to share the beatings and torments with his parishioners. From then on, he could not only console, encourage with words, but also with his determination to keep the faith. When the mandarins pressed him to renounce faith, he replied:
“Faith had absorbed into my bones and marrows, how can I reject it? Furthermore, a lay Catholic, even a catechist cannot reject faith, how could I as a priest reject my faith?”
Knowing that all tortures were fruitless, the Mỹ Tho mandarin condemned him to death by decapitation. On 4/7/1861 soldiers led the witness of faith a kilometer outside the city wall, then beheaded him by the side of the road. Being superstitious, after doing the beheading, the executioner dropped the saber and ran away.
The remains of the martyr were brought back and buried along with shackles and a jar of soil tainted with his blood. Later, his relics were placed in the main altar in the Mỹ Tho church. In 1860 his relics were again moved to the Sài Gòn cathedral.
On 5/2/1909 Pope Pius X elevated Fr. Peter Nguyễn Văn Lựu to the rank of blessed.
Hoàng Tôn Thất