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18-05-2006, 08:51 PM
June 1
Saint Joseph TÚC
Lay Catholic
(1843-1862)
* The Twinkling Star.
Historical accounts on Saint Joseph Túc gave him different ages at the time of his arrest and martyrdom. Some recorded that: at the time of his arrest and martyrdom, Joseph Túc was only 9 years old while some others wrote that he was 19 or 21. Regardless, after carefully examining the accounts of the arrest, incarceration, and trial of the saint, we think that no matter how savage the mandarins were, they could not be so brutal to a boy of only 9 years old. The mandarins’ tortures must be reserved for a mature young man, not a child[1] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftn1).
At such a young age, the age of dreams and hope, energy and dedication, when much care and guidance were still needed to mold a person into a useful son for his family and society, Joseph Túc had shone like a bright star.
Joseph Túc was born in 1843 in the community of Hoàng Xá, Ngọc Đồng parish, Hưng Yên (presently Hải Hưng) province. His father was Mr. Joseph Cẩn and his mother was Mrs. Trí. In the cradle of a Piusus farmer family, Joseph Túc had grew up with a hard-working and peaceful live like other Vietnamese young men toiling daily on the land. But his father did not want him to continue with farming, so he encouraged and arranged for him to follow the path of education and career. Obeying his father’s wish, Joseph Túc diligently studied the Nôm language or “Southern Script” which is the Vietnamese language derived from the Chinese Han.
But King Tự Đức’s persecution stretched on forever and became more violent every day. And with the edict Segregation and Integration “Separation and Integration” of August 5, 1861, neither a single Catholic nor his house was safe. Uncounted innocent people were tormented, killed and accused of crimes that I had never heard of.
* Trials Tested Virtues.
Joseph was arrested in early 1862, at the beautiful young age of 19. After a few days in the district jail, he was taken to the provincial capital. Afterward, he was put in solitary confinement for four months in Đông Khê in the prefecture of Khoái Châu. During the day he was put in a heavy cangue; at night he was shackled. Even so, Joseph Túc bravely maintained his faith. Many of his friends (beatification in progress), Peter Kiên (18 years old), Peter Ngân (15), Peter Lương (20), were also jailed with him. They often met, prayed, consoled, and encouraged one another to be brave till the end[2] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftn2).
Relatives bribed the prison guards to open an opportunity for him to escape, but he said: “I will not escape no matter what, because my escape will bring suffering to others. Whatever God wants, I follow.”
When a fellow inmate worried if his family would know of his execution to come collecting his body, Joseph Túc calmly expressed his thought:
“I am completely at peace and without a hint of worry. If God let me spill my blood for faith, I will certainly go to Heaven. It’s alright if my body is buried or not.”
In the letter of 8/2/1862 Fr. Estevez Nam described the situation in Hưng Yên as followed:
“In the province of Hưng Yên, the mandarins were even more cruel. At the end of May, many Christians were brought to the capital city. On June 1, the mandarins murdered 100 persons, the following day 600, and even more on the 3rd. Non-Christian villages were ordered to kill all Christian prisoners, and they carried it out tenaciously, so I don’t know the number of dead this time...”[3] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftn3)
In late May, Joseph Túc was taken to Hưng Yên. After enticements, threats and torments could not shake his steely faith, the mandarins decided to condemn him to death by beheading.
Many people, who were present at Joseph Túc’s martyrdom, had testified at the investigation for cause for the beatification of Joseph Túc. Among them Mr. Dominic Hưng recounted: “I followed Túc to the execution site. He prayed devoutly and constantly called out the name Jesus. After he was beheaded, I had buried his remains carefully.”
Mrs. Maria Linh testified that she saw the head of God’ servant being tossed in the air by a soldier to let the mandarin see and to let him know that he had implemented the order. The date was 6/1/1862. Joseph Túc’s remains were buried at the site, later were exhumed and taken to the church of Ngọc Đồng parish, Hưng Yên province.
On 4/29/1951 Pope Pius XII elevated Joseph Túc to the rank of blessed.
_____ (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftnref1)
[1] According to Ass, Beatification paper of Pope XII: Saint Joseph Túc was still a child. On the other hand “Venticinque Martirinell Mission Domenicane del Tonchine” Roma 1950, p. 153, gave him the age of 19.
[2] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftnref2) N. Gispert Summarium Servorum Dei khu vực dòng Da Minh, Roma 1928, p. 514.
[3] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftnref3) M. Gispert: Historia des Les Mission St. Domicias en Tonkin, Avila 1928, pp. 510-512.
Hoàng Tôn Thất
Saint Joseph TÚC
Lay Catholic
(1843-1862)
* The Twinkling Star.
Historical accounts on Saint Joseph Túc gave him different ages at the time of his arrest and martyrdom. Some recorded that: at the time of his arrest and martyrdom, Joseph Túc was only 9 years old while some others wrote that he was 19 or 21. Regardless, after carefully examining the accounts of the arrest, incarceration, and trial of the saint, we think that no matter how savage the mandarins were, they could not be so brutal to a boy of only 9 years old. The mandarins’ tortures must be reserved for a mature young man, not a child[1] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftn1).
At such a young age, the age of dreams and hope, energy and dedication, when much care and guidance were still needed to mold a person into a useful son for his family and society, Joseph Túc had shone like a bright star.
Joseph Túc was born in 1843 in the community of Hoàng Xá, Ngọc Đồng parish, Hưng Yên (presently Hải Hưng) province. His father was Mr. Joseph Cẩn and his mother was Mrs. Trí. In the cradle of a Piusus farmer family, Joseph Túc had grew up with a hard-working and peaceful live like other Vietnamese young men toiling daily on the land. But his father did not want him to continue with farming, so he encouraged and arranged for him to follow the path of education and career. Obeying his father’s wish, Joseph Túc diligently studied the Nôm language or “Southern Script” which is the Vietnamese language derived from the Chinese Han.
But King Tự Đức’s persecution stretched on forever and became more violent every day. And with the edict Segregation and Integration “Separation and Integration” of August 5, 1861, neither a single Catholic nor his house was safe. Uncounted innocent people were tormented, killed and accused of crimes that I had never heard of.
* Trials Tested Virtues.
Joseph was arrested in early 1862, at the beautiful young age of 19. After a few days in the district jail, he was taken to the provincial capital. Afterward, he was put in solitary confinement for four months in Đông Khê in the prefecture of Khoái Châu. During the day he was put in a heavy cangue; at night he was shackled. Even so, Joseph Túc bravely maintained his faith. Many of his friends (beatification in progress), Peter Kiên (18 years old), Peter Ngân (15), Peter Lương (20), were also jailed with him. They often met, prayed, consoled, and encouraged one another to be brave till the end[2] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftn2).
Relatives bribed the prison guards to open an opportunity for him to escape, but he said: “I will not escape no matter what, because my escape will bring suffering to others. Whatever God wants, I follow.”
When a fellow inmate worried if his family would know of his execution to come collecting his body, Joseph Túc calmly expressed his thought:
“I am completely at peace and without a hint of worry. If God let me spill my blood for faith, I will certainly go to Heaven. It’s alright if my body is buried or not.”
In the letter of 8/2/1862 Fr. Estevez Nam described the situation in Hưng Yên as followed:
“In the province of Hưng Yên, the mandarins were even more cruel. At the end of May, many Christians were brought to the capital city. On June 1, the mandarins murdered 100 persons, the following day 600, and even more on the 3rd. Non-Christian villages were ordered to kill all Christian prisoners, and they carried it out tenaciously, so I don’t know the number of dead this time...”[3] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftn3)
In late May, Joseph Túc was taken to Hưng Yên. After enticements, threats and torments could not shake his steely faith, the mandarins decided to condemn him to death by beheading.
Many people, who were present at Joseph Túc’s martyrdom, had testified at the investigation for cause for the beatification of Joseph Túc. Among them Mr. Dominic Hưng recounted: “I followed Túc to the execution site. He prayed devoutly and constantly called out the name Jesus. After he was beheaded, I had buried his remains carefully.”
Mrs. Maria Linh testified that she saw the head of God’ servant being tossed in the air by a soldier to let the mandarin see and to let him know that he had implemented the order. The date was 6/1/1862. Joseph Túc’s remains were buried at the site, later were exhumed and taken to the church of Ngọc Đồng parish, Hưng Yên province.
On 4/29/1951 Pope Pius XII elevated Joseph Túc to the rank of blessed.
_____ (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftnref1)
[1] According to Ass, Beatification paper of Pope XII: Saint Joseph Túc was still a child. On the other hand “Venticinque Martirinell Mission Domenicane del Tonchine” Roma 1950, p. 153, gave him the age of 19.
[2] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftnref2) N. Gispert Summarium Servorum Dei khu vực dòng Da Minh, Roma 1928, p. 514.
[3] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=14#_ftnref3) M. Gispert: Historia des Les Mission St. Domicias en Tonkin, Avila 1928, pp. 510-512.
Hoàng Tôn Thất