Ngày 12/8 Thánh Jacob Đỗ Mai Năm, Priest

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August 12
Saint Jacob ĐỖ MAI NĂM
Priest
(1781-1838)

* Like Any Other Normal Activity.

Hearing that the municipal mandarin was coming to the village, Fr. Đỗ Mai Năm dressed up like other citizens to prepare a meal for the mandarin. But soldiers came to the rectory before he even left the house. Looking at a light-skinned, elderly man with long beard, they wondered: “Who are you?” Fr. Jacob Năm cheerfully replied: “I live in this house.” Right that moment, two undercover agents, Tỷ and Xuân, who was sent by the mandarin to search for priests and had worked previously at the home of Mr. Mỹ, the village chief, came and said: “He is the priest living in this house.” With the serene tone as usual, Fr. Jacob Năm emphatically replied: “Right, it’s I.”

As a result he was arrested. His arrest was arrested unhurried just like his leisurely life, or in other words, his arrest was peaceful and normal like any other normal activity in his daily life.

* Ordinary and Compassionate.

Jacob Đỗ Mai Năm was born in 1781 in Đông Biên village, Vĩnh Lộc district, Thanh Hoá province. The young Jacob Đỗ Mai Năm joined the religious life at an early age then studied Latin at Vĩnh Trị seminary where he worked after he became catechist. Due to his gentleness, children loved him. A few years later, he was sent to studied theology and ordained a priest when he was 32 years old. Fr. Jacob Đỗ Mai Năm was assigned to various parishes until he returned to work at Vĩnh Trị seminary around 1830.
When King Minh Mạng banned Christianity nationwide and the seminary was disbanded, Fr. Jacob Đỗ Mai Năm had to take refuge in Christians’ homes. He stayed at the home of Mr. Tôn, Kẻ Nguôi parish council president, for three years, then at Mr. Đích’s, Vĩnh Trị parish council president. During such time, Fr. Jacob Đỗ Mai Năm got along well with everyone. He often recounted stories to children or together with seminarians helped the homeowners weed their fields; he never complained doing even the tiniest thing. He especially helped the poor to whom he gave everything he received.

Someone denounced to the authority that the Vĩnh Trị village was hiding a priest. The mandarin sent soldiers to search the village where they arrested Fr. Jacob Đỗ Mai Năm along with Mr. Đích and his son-in-law, Mr. Mỹ, the village chief. The priest was incarcerated in Nam Định prison.

* Courage.

When asked to reject his faith, Fr. Jacob Năm emphatically replied:
“As a priest, how dare I reject my faith or walk over the cross that I worship. As I always teach others to have a strong faith, and to die rather than to abandon faith, I have to practice what I teach others. If a priest does not dare to die for faith, then who will?”

Unable to change his mind after many tries, the mandarins stopped interrogating and let him to move around inside prison, allowing him to visit fellow inmates whom he consoled and administered sacraments. He paid more attention to Mr. Đích who was up in age and afraid of tortures, the priest said: “With God’s grace, we will overcome all sufferings no matter how painful.” He talked about St. Lawrence who remained faithful even though he was broiled on a steel bed.

The death sentence was approved. On August 12, Fr. Jacob Năm along with Mr. Anthony Đích and Mr. Michael Mỹ were martyred at the execution site in Bảy Mẫu, Nam Định. Fr. Jacob Năm was 57 years old with 25 years of priestly ministry.

* Like a Shining Light.

Throughout his life, Fr. Jacob Năm always led a peaceful, simple, and comfortable like his ordinary name Năm. His life as a catechist was joyful and his priestly life was ordinary. That simplicity was not the outcome of convenient situations or of external conditions, but was the outcome of a heart filled with love of God. His joyful and ordinary life had shone on those around him like the magnificent light of Christ, who, as noble as He was, led a simple life on earth, joyful with children and lived among the destitute.

With such a life, under the “sweltering heat” of the time, for certain the silver jubilee of his priesthood if celebrated would be very quiet. But fortunately for him, God had taken the loyal servant to Heaven. Moreover, no silver jubilee on earth can be as magnificent and solemn as his silver jubilee in Heaven.

The remains of the three martyrs were carried back to Vĩnh Trị for burial in solemn procession; villagers rang the church bell and lighted torches to welcome them. They were later relocated to the seminary in Kẻ Sở.

Pope Leo XIII beatified Fr. Jacob Đỗ Mai Năm on 5/2/1900.


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Saint Anthony NGUYỄN ĐÍCH
Lay
(1769-1838)

* Head of a Family of Martyrs.

Saint Anthony Nguyễn Đích was a shining example to heads of families, especially in teaching faith to their children. Not counting Saint Michael Mỹ, his dutiful son-in-law, his family had given two other martyrs (not included among the 117 martyrs): Mr. Thi, the second son was executed by strangulation in 1858 under King Tự Đức, and Mr. Nhâm, the fourth son who was banished to Cao Bằng and died there for not walking over the cross. The Saint had not only educated his children by words, but by his own living example.

* My Father’s Biography.

To know Saint Anthony Nguyễn Đích’s biography, there is no better source than the words that his daughter, Mrs. Maria Mến (Miều), who was also Saint Michael Nguyễn Huy Mỹ’s widow, testified before the beatification investigation commission:

“My father’s name was Nguyễn Đích of Chi Long village, Nam Xương district, Nam Định province. My paternal grandparents, who were very religious, realized that their home was too far away from the priest, so they moved to the village of Kẻ Vĩnh (Vĩnh Trị) where my father was married. At the time, my father’s real name was Khiêm, when the first born was named Hiếu, others called my father by the first-born’s name Hiếu, until the second son was born and named Đích, my father was again called Đích and he kept that name forever.

My family was farmers, very dedicated, but not for that reason that we neglect our religious activities. On the other hand, we often went to confession, and received communion. My father always paid attention to the religious life of his 10 children as well as of the servants. Every day, he assigned one or two persons to stay home for security while the rest went to church. I saw that my father always fulfilled his Christian duties... He cared for the education of the children, invited teachers home to teach the Nho language to the sons, and even refused to marry the daughters to rich men who did not maintain good Christian life...”

* Whole-hearted for the Church.

He had special concern for the Church’s future; Mr. Anthony Đích loved the clerics and seminarians, generously welcomed and helped them financially. When cholera was ravaging Kẻ Vĩnh seminary and many seminarians died, the director decided to evacuate the students; Mr. Anthony Đích volunteered to house a number of seminarians, fed, and provided medical care until they recovered.

His charity was also shown through his passion for the poor and his frequent visits to the lepers. It was his reputation and kindness that people called him “president” of the parish council even though it was not his responsibility.

In the most severe time of the persecutions, he provided room and board in his house for a class of seminarians for two years. Bishop Havard Du had also taken refuge in his house during the persecution under King Minh Mạng.

* The Admirable Head of Household.

Governor Trịnh Quang Khanh tried all means possible, from enticements to tortures, to press Mr. Anthony Đích to reject his faith: “You are old; all your children are grown; your grandchildren are numerous; your home is luxurious; isn’t it better if you walk over the cross so that you can enjoy your old age with your grandchildren?” Mr. Anthony Đích replied firmly: “His Honor, I don’t worry about my family for I have provided for them. My duty is to worship God, His Honor can release or condemn me as you please, but don’t force me to abandon my faith.”

The mandarin ordered soldiers to carry him over the cross, but he pulled up his knees, so enraging the mandarin that he had soldiers caning him. Bounded by the cangue, chained in shackles, pained by tortures, and poor health due to old age, many times he thought he could not endure all the sufferings. Fortunately, he remained strong until his martyrdom with God’s grace, with Fr. Jacob Năm’s advices, with fellow inmates’ encouragement, and especially with the noble sacrifice of his loyal son-in-law, Mr. Michael Mỹ. After his own punishment, three times Mr. Michael Mỹ volunteered to bear his father-in-law’s torture, so Mr. Đích was tortured only once. Moreover he was forced to wear a lighter cangue.

To make up for the lightness of bodily punishment, he increased his charitable effort and his spirituality. He shared food as well as money supplied by family members with his fellow pagan inmates. Additionally he religiously prayed, went to confession, and received communion right in prison.

Unable to shake his faith, the mandarin sent to the king the sentencing petition which said:

“Mr. Đích believed in and practiced heresy even though it was banned. Unwilling to hand over Fr. Mai Năm to the authority as well as providing housing and not listening to advices, especially not walking over the cross, and disobeying the laws. We had ordered him to walk over the cross many times before the tribunal, but he responded: “I was a cradle Catholic, I rather die than renounce my faith.” Therefore we request the death sentence by beheading.”

The sentence was approved by King Minh Mạng. On 8/12/1838 Mr. Anthony Đích together with Fr. Jacob Năm and his son-in-law, Michael Nguyễn Huy Mỹ, were led out to the execution field in Bảy Mẫu, Nam Định. After executing Fr. Jacob Năm, the executioner beheaded Mr. Anthony Nguyễn Đích, then Mr. Michael Mỹ.

Mr. Anthony Nguyễn Đích’s remains were brought to Kẻ Vĩnh village that same night. Villagers celebrated a solemn funeral mass, and buried him in front of his house where he had left innumerable and shining examples of a community leader and of a head of family.

Together with Fr. Jacob Năm and Mr. Michael Mỹ, Mr. Anthony Nguyễn Đích were beatified by Pope Leo XIII on 5/27/1900.


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Saint Michael NGUYỄN HUY MỸ
Village Chief
(1804-1838)

* A Dutiful Son.

“Bound by cangue and chains, nightly pray
Intoxicated of faith, not of things
Yoke on shoulder warms my heads

Chains ‘round neck keep cold out

Laws of the land never complain
Teachers’ favors I shall keep
Come what may; what can I do?
Up to Heaven’s King, life and death.”


Through St. Michael Mỹ’s verses above, even though cangue, shackles, tortures which, as punishments reserved for criminals, caused pain to the human body and weakened health, became valuable baggage to him, a gallant Christian “intoxicated” of faith. He volunteered to bear tortures for his old father-in-law (Mr. Anthony Nguyễn Đích) to become a companion giving witness to Christ, to receive the palm of martyrdom, and to be canonized. Mr. Michael Mỹ truly was a dutiful son and a courageous disciple who carried out the words of the Most Holy Teacher: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16: 24)

* Helpful to Society and Valuable to Faith.

His father left the birthplace of Đại Đăng, Ninh Bình province, to make a living and got married in Kẻ Vĩnh village, Nam Định province. Michael Nguyễn Huy Mỹ was born in 1804. His father passed away when he was 10 years old, and two years later his mother also passed away. Even so he was brought up superbly. He was intelligent and spiritual: fluent in the Chinese Han and medicine, praying daily, religiously receiving the sacraments, especially the communion. He often found a quiet place in the yard to say the Holy Rosary and to pray.

At 20, he married Miss. Maria Mến (Miều), Mr. Anthony Nguyễn Đích’s daughter. His happy family life with 8 well-behaved children won the admiration of villagers who asked him to be their canton chief, but he refused. Then at Bishop Havard Du’s urging, he became the village chief to help the seminary and other Christians during the persecution.

Although family life as well as society was full of complexity, he always handled himself as an exemplary and Christian head of family. His wife recounted:

“My family was full of happiness and love. My husband, Michael, was very religious and attended mass daily. Any family member of servant could not go the mass, he made everyone recite the Holy Rosary and listen to the Gospel. He went to the confession many times a year after he self-examined at least two days beforehand. During Easter, he fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. He did not drink, gamble or raise his voice with anyone.”

As village chief, Mr. Michael Mỹ was a man of integrity and never took any bribe. As the village referee, he was fair, just, and unbiased. To those who committed social vices, he counseled and treated them with strict discipline. He cared for the villagers the same way he took care of his family: every night he recited the Holy Rosary with the guards before sending them out. He counseled pagans, helped the poor, and gave them opportunities to receive sacraments so that they could become good Christians and better citizens. The canton often used Kẻ Vĩnh village as a model for other villages to follow.

* Because It’s the Law, There Is No Complaint.

Like other Northern villages during King Minh Mạng’s persecution (1833), Kẻ Vĩnh village remained relatively calm due to perfunctory effort of the local authorities in implementing the king’s edict.

But in 1837, Hưng Yên prefecture mandarin was demoted; Nam Định Governor Trịnh Quang Khanh was recalled to the royal court for a reprimand and given 40 crucifixes with the strict order to carry out the edict of persecution. Henceforth, the governor became a brutal person who was nicknamed the “Grey Tiger of Nam city. The two vicariates of Tonkin were faced with severe hurricanes at the later part of King Minh Mạng’s reign. Soldiers in small and big groups went to every place, surrounded every village, and searched every house. Kẻ Vĩnh had to be evacuated twice, sending seminarians to surrounding areas.

On one occasion, the authorities surrounded Kẻ Vĩnh village right at the moment the bishop and a number of priests were hiding. Mr. Michael Mỹ bravely and cleverly misdirected the authorities by guiding them to every single home resulting in no arrest. He often told parishioners: “The king’s persecution is a trial that God sends to us, we have to remain faithful.” When he was informed of the governor’s plan to force all Catholic soldiers to walk over the cross, he sent a letter to four soldiers from Kẻ Vĩnh: “Please maintain your faith, in a few days I will come to you.”

On 7/2/1838 as the governor himself commanded the raid on Kẻ Vĩnh, Mr. Michael Mỹ told his father-in-law: “We both will die together, God’s providence has arrived. Please do not be afraid.” That said, he went to the village temple to greet the governor who ordered Christians and priests to present themselves, else the village chief had to pledge to their absence. Mr. Michael Mỹ wrote: “Village chief Nguyễn Huy Mỹ guarantees: there are no priests in our village nor contrabands. If I give false statements, I will surrender my whole family.”

The ink on the pledge was not even dry when soldiers brought in Fr. Jacob Năm. Surprised, the governor mockingly asked Mr. Michael Mỹ on a punishment. He replied: “His Honor, if you love us, then we thank you; if not we offer our heads for punishment.” The governor then ordered him beaten 40 canes and had him put in cangue and brought to the provincial capital along with Fr. Jacob Năm and Mr. Anthony Đích.

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* Bound by Cangue and Chains, Nightly Pray.

On the way to the capital city of Nam Định, a village elder discussed with Mr. Michael Mỹ about a plan to buy his freedom with a bribe. He refused, saying: “I thank the good-heartedness of all villagers, but please use that money to help my wife and to celebrate when my body is brought back.” Among the three captives, the governor knew that he could not shake the faith of Fr. Jacob Năm as well as that of Mr. Anthony Đích who was articulate at 70 years old, so the governor turned his charms on Mr. Michael Mỹ to urge him to reject his faith:

- You are still very young and intelligent; you are also respected by villagers. Why are you so dumb not to walk over the cross?
Mr. Michael Mỹ replied:
- Villagers have been here even before I was born. So who was their leader? Therefore, I cannot follow your advice.
- So you don’t love your wife and children?
- God entrusted my wife and children to my care when I am capable. Now that He decides for me to be in your hands, then I obey his will, my family also agrees with me.

Mr. Michael Mỹ continued to utilize sharp arguments in his dialogue with the mandarin:

- His Honor, I had carefully examined and believed that Christianity is the true religion, which I, therefore, could not reject. You would refuse if someone tells you to step on the head of the king who gave you this position. So how dare I walk over the icon of the God I worship?

Furious, the governor had him caned. Including the three times he bore the beatings for his father-in-law, Mr. Michael Mỹ suffered a total of 500 canes throughout his imprisonment. Witnessing and worrying about his aging and ailing father-in-law, Mr. Anthony Đích, getting weaker, Mr. Michael Mỹ prayed for God to help his father-in-law keep his faith to the end. Mr. Michael Mỹ often advised his father-in-law: “You are aging and your health is failing. You don’t live much longer; if you don’t die for faith, you will die because of illness anyway. But dying for faith will glorify God and will gain you heavenly happiness. So stop yearning for a few short days. Here I am still healthy; I have a lot of life left and much to live for, a young wife and flock of lovely and innocent children. But I have faith that God will provide for them. Moreover, once in heaven, our interceding before God will be more beneficial to our family and clan. Please don’t worry about the sufferings which I will carry them for you. Please be brave to give witness and willing to die for loving Jesus Christ who had died for us...”

In fact, every time the governor had Mr. Anthony Đích beaten, Mr. Michael Mỹ stood up and said: “My father is old, please spare him, I will take the beating for him.” Admiring his filial love for the father-in-law, the governor agreed. Taking on the beating for both himself and his father-in-law, Mr. Michael Mỹ’s body was bloodied and bruised everywhere, and his clothes were torn. The heavier cangue and tighter shackles caused him great pain, but Christ’s witness always appeared happy with not a word of complaint:

“Yoke on shoulder warms my heads
Chains ‘round neck keep cold out”

* The Teary Farewell.

Even though she was only 12, Mr. Michael Mỹ’s daughter sneaked out on her mother and went past the guards to talk to her father in jail: “Father, please be brave to die for God.” His 9-year-old son, Tường, also sent words through villagers who visited him in jail: “Father, don’t worry about us. Please be at peace to be strong to profess your faith and to die for faith.” Mrs. Mỹ brought their several-month-old child to visit her husband. Looking at the sufferings that her husband had to bear, she could not hold back her tears. She told her husband through her tears:

“As your wife and children, we all love and miss you, but you must sacrifice and carry the heavy cross for god and be faithful to God to the end. Don’t worry about us. God will provide for us. This visit may be the last. I pray that you follow God’s will.”

His heart torn, Mr. Michael Mỹ knew that his death would leave great pain for his family. But trusting in God’s providence, he calmly consoled his wife:

“Your advices light up my love for God. Take the child home and take care of the children for me. Pray day and night for me to be strong to profess my faith in God before others. I’ll meet you and the children again in heaven, our true home, where we will have everlasting happiness.”

Strengthened by his wife’s encouragement, Mr. Michael Mỹ’s faith grew even stronger and he was ready to sacrifice his life for faith. Village guards from Kẻ Vĩnh, out of his respect and love for his former chief, came to advise him to walk over the cross to be released in order to care for the villagers as previously, Mr. Michael Mỹ chided them: “Who told you to say those wrong words to me. You will cry if I go home now, but when my body is carried back to the village, you will celebrate.”

* Intoxicated of Faith, Happy of Love.

After months of urging and torturing, using canes, heavy cangue and painful chains, to force the courageous witness of faith, Mr. Michael Mỹ, to walk over the cross without success, using canes, heavy cangue and painful chains, the governor sent a petition to the royal court:

“Nguyễn Huy Mỹ, 34 years old, is Kẻ Vĩnh village chief. The criminal believed in the banned Christian faith and together with Nguyễn Đích, his father-in-law, provided sanctuary to Fr. Mai Năm. Being advised many times to reject their faith, but they did not walk over the cross. Therefore it is decided that all three have to be executed to set example for others.”

On 8/12/1838 informed of King Minh Mạng’s approval of the sentence as petitioned, the three God’s disciples cheerfully prepared themselves to receive the sacrament of reconciliation and communion. Singing praise to God, they joyfully walked to the execution site. On the way, Mr. Cả Tú, Mr. Michael Mỹ’s cousin, offered encouragement: “Be strong.” Mr. Michael Mỹ replied: “Brother Cả, trust me, don’t worry. I am not afraid.”

At the execution of Bảy Mẫu, the three witnesses knelt and prayed. Mr. Michael Mỹ asked the mandarin to execute Fr. Jacob Năm and Mr. Anthony Nguyễn Đích first. Mr. Michael Mỹ was the last to be executed. The remains of the three martyrs were brought to Kẻ Vĩnh village that same night. Villagers lighted torches to welcome the bodies solemnly as prophesized by Mr. Michael Mỹ.

Mr. Michael Mỹ received his martyrdom, triumphant over trials and sufferings because of his absolute love for the Lord Jesus Christ and the obsession in His message. The love and obsession were sowed at an early age, developed over time, and peaked at the most challenging time of his life. Mr. Michael Mỹ deserved the great honor from God: heavenly glory with the palm of martyrdom.

Mr. Michael Mỹ was really a loyal son of the earthly father as well as the Heavenly Father. Pope Leo XIII elevated Mr. Michael Mỹ to the rank of blessed on 5/27/1900.

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