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06-04-2006, 03:42 PM
May 9
Saint Joseph HIỂN
Dominican Priest
(1769-1840)
The Cross-Venerating Disciple
The most beautiful impression in the martyrdom of St. Joseph Hiển is the picture of a seventy-one years old elderly man who, at night or during his bedtime after tortures during the day, drew on pieces of cloth artistic crucifix with lively strokes that he gave to Christian visitors while advising them to contemplate and to ask for faithfulness. Many Christians received miracles for wearing the cloth with the crucifix. So even while in prison, he had started a movement of the devotion of the Cross in Nam Định province. Later when his cross image was in such a high demand that he had to ask a fellow inmate to make a wood model of the cross which was then used to print images to satisfy demand.
Joseph Hiển was born in 1765 in the village of Quần Anh Hạ, Nam Định province. At an early age, his family had sent him to live with Bishop Delgado Y of the Dominican Order. After theologate, he was ordained a priest and sent to Manila, the Philippines, for further studies. On 10/12/1812 he was joined the Dominican Order and professed his solemn vow the following year. Back in Vietnam, he served in many parishes; Cao Môn parish was his longest assignment. His piety, his contemplative live and his talent to change hearts were well recognized. Those whom he counseled became motivated to mend their lives.
When King Minh Mạng declared the edict of persecution, Fr. Joseph Hiển was Bishop Henares Minh’s companion during their fugitive period. In 1838 after the bishop went to Xương Điền, he returned to hometown, Quần Anh. Later he went to the community of Hưng Nghĩa, then to Trung Thành village where he stayed for 9 months. Despites difficulties of fugitive life, Fr. Joseph Hiển still tried to minister to Christians; he visited, gave them encouragement and provided sacraments.
Unbending in Trials
The night of 12/20/1839 Fr. Joseph Hiển ventured out to give the last rites of anointment and confession to Corporal Nhật who had not had confession in years and wished to prepare himself for a peaceful death. A pagan discovered his traces and informed Governor Trịnh Quang Khanh who ordered soldiers to encircle Trung Thành village. Unable to escape, the priest celebrated Mass to prepare himself for the grace of martyrdom. In early morning, soldiers arrested him and took him to the village temple.
For his refusal to step on the cross he was given 40 canes on the cold winter day; the mandarin then ordered cold water poured on him making the bleeding wounds even more painful. Regardless, Fr. Joseph Hiển did not utter a word of complaint, he only called out the name Jesus and thought of Christ’s sufferings.
Two days later, the priest was brought to the provincial capital of Nam Định where he was incarcerated for 5 months. As a member of the order of preachers, he never shied away from the evangelical responsibility. Right in prison, he taught catechism and converted a few pagans; he also encouraged Christian inmates to remain faithful in the face of tortures. Especially, he counseled the catechist Thomas Toán, who had once trampled on the cross, to regain his courage to profess his faith until his day of martyrdom. The cross icons that he handed out had started a movement on the veneration of the cross, giving the weak more determination, helping sinners to repent, and bringing peace to patients on deathbed.
Many times he was brought to the tribunal where neither tortures nor sweet enticements would make him abandon his faith. He said: “I am old and cannot live much longer, I am ready to die for the One who had died for me.”
Early May 1840, after receiving the sentence from the royal court, Governor Quang Khanh summoned for Fr. Joseph Hiển and the catechist Toán to the tribunal. He made them stand before a cross, then had the elephant trainers bring in two elephants standing behind them. At the trainers’ order, the two elephants pushed the two prisoners toward the cross. However, the two quickly stepped aside. Fr. Joseph Hiển told the mandarin in no uncertain term: “Please follow the king’s order; it’s useless to continue to oblige us. We are ready to die to show our love for God.” Enraged at those words, Trịnh Quang Khanh ordered the catechist Toán thrown in jail and let him die of hunger while ordered Fr. Joseph Hiển executed.
Triumphant in Glory
On the way to the execution site, Fr. Joseph Hiển wearing a heavy cangue walked as he prayed and thanked God in the middle of a contingent of soldiers. At the execution site, he knelt in silence and raised his eyes toward the sky. Deep in his prayer, he received a saber cut that brought him the palm of martyrdom that he had always wished. The date was 5/9/1840. His body was buried right at the site. Eight months later, Peter Đậu, who had shared a jail cell with the priest, exhumed the body and brought it back for burial at Lục Thuỷ seminary.
Pope Leo XIII beatified Fr. Joseph Hiển, priest of the order of preachers, together with 63 other Vietnamese martyrs on 5/27/1900.
Hoàng Tôn Thất
Saint Joseph HIỂN
Dominican Priest
(1769-1840)
The Cross-Venerating Disciple
The most beautiful impression in the martyrdom of St. Joseph Hiển is the picture of a seventy-one years old elderly man who, at night or during his bedtime after tortures during the day, drew on pieces of cloth artistic crucifix with lively strokes that he gave to Christian visitors while advising them to contemplate and to ask for faithfulness. Many Christians received miracles for wearing the cloth with the crucifix. So even while in prison, he had started a movement of the devotion of the Cross in Nam Định province. Later when his cross image was in such a high demand that he had to ask a fellow inmate to make a wood model of the cross which was then used to print images to satisfy demand.
Joseph Hiển was born in 1765 in the village of Quần Anh Hạ, Nam Định province. At an early age, his family had sent him to live with Bishop Delgado Y of the Dominican Order. After theologate, he was ordained a priest and sent to Manila, the Philippines, for further studies. On 10/12/1812 he was joined the Dominican Order and professed his solemn vow the following year. Back in Vietnam, he served in many parishes; Cao Môn parish was his longest assignment. His piety, his contemplative live and his talent to change hearts were well recognized. Those whom he counseled became motivated to mend their lives.
When King Minh Mạng declared the edict of persecution, Fr. Joseph Hiển was Bishop Henares Minh’s companion during their fugitive period. In 1838 after the bishop went to Xương Điền, he returned to hometown, Quần Anh. Later he went to the community of Hưng Nghĩa, then to Trung Thành village where he stayed for 9 months. Despites difficulties of fugitive life, Fr. Joseph Hiển still tried to minister to Christians; he visited, gave them encouragement and provided sacraments.
Unbending in Trials
The night of 12/20/1839 Fr. Joseph Hiển ventured out to give the last rites of anointment and confession to Corporal Nhật who had not had confession in years and wished to prepare himself for a peaceful death. A pagan discovered his traces and informed Governor Trịnh Quang Khanh who ordered soldiers to encircle Trung Thành village. Unable to escape, the priest celebrated Mass to prepare himself for the grace of martyrdom. In early morning, soldiers arrested him and took him to the village temple.
For his refusal to step on the cross he was given 40 canes on the cold winter day; the mandarin then ordered cold water poured on him making the bleeding wounds even more painful. Regardless, Fr. Joseph Hiển did not utter a word of complaint, he only called out the name Jesus and thought of Christ’s sufferings.
Two days later, the priest was brought to the provincial capital of Nam Định where he was incarcerated for 5 months. As a member of the order of preachers, he never shied away from the evangelical responsibility. Right in prison, he taught catechism and converted a few pagans; he also encouraged Christian inmates to remain faithful in the face of tortures. Especially, he counseled the catechist Thomas Toán, who had once trampled on the cross, to regain his courage to profess his faith until his day of martyrdom. The cross icons that he handed out had started a movement on the veneration of the cross, giving the weak more determination, helping sinners to repent, and bringing peace to patients on deathbed.
Many times he was brought to the tribunal where neither tortures nor sweet enticements would make him abandon his faith. He said: “I am old and cannot live much longer, I am ready to die for the One who had died for me.”
Early May 1840, after receiving the sentence from the royal court, Governor Quang Khanh summoned for Fr. Joseph Hiển and the catechist Toán to the tribunal. He made them stand before a cross, then had the elephant trainers bring in two elephants standing behind them. At the trainers’ order, the two elephants pushed the two prisoners toward the cross. However, the two quickly stepped aside. Fr. Joseph Hiển told the mandarin in no uncertain term: “Please follow the king’s order; it’s useless to continue to oblige us. We are ready to die to show our love for God.” Enraged at those words, Trịnh Quang Khanh ordered the catechist Toán thrown in jail and let him die of hunger while ordered Fr. Joseph Hiển executed.
Triumphant in Glory
On the way to the execution site, Fr. Joseph Hiển wearing a heavy cangue walked as he prayed and thanked God in the middle of a contingent of soldiers. At the execution site, he knelt in silence and raised his eyes toward the sky. Deep in his prayer, he received a saber cut that brought him the palm of martyrdom that he had always wished. The date was 5/9/1840. His body was buried right at the site. Eight months later, Peter Đậu, who had shared a jail cell with the priest, exhumed the body and brought it back for burial at Lục Thuỷ seminary.
Pope Leo XIII beatified Fr. Joseph Hiển, priest of the order of preachers, together with 63 other Vietnamese martyrs on 5/27/1900.
Hoàng Tôn Thất