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25-07-2006, 08:21 PM
September 05
Saint Peter NGUYỄN VĂN TỰ
Dominican Priest
(1796-1838)
* Earthly Father, Heavenly Father.
“Your Honor I respectfully regard God as the Father of the highest grade, the King as the Father of the middle grade, and my parents as Father of the low grade. Therefore, I cannot obey my own father to hurt the king, nor can I follow the king’s order to hurt the Supreme Father who is God of Heaven and Earth.”
The martyr, who had clearly analyzed the Vietnamese Christians’ opinion on loyalty above, was a priest of he order of preachers, Fr. Peter Nguyễn Văn Tự.
* Captured because of his Mission.
Born in Ninh Cường village, Ham Chân district, Thiện Trường prefecture, Nam Định province, in 1796, Peter Tự offered his life to God at an early age. In 1826 he was ordained a priest, then joined the Dominican Order and professed his solemn vow before superior Amandi Chiêu on 1/4/1827. Throughout 12 years as a priest, Fr. Peter Tự was an exemplary religious and a devoted missionary. His beatification documents recorded his dedication to his works regardless of difficulties, and his kind treatment and his love for others.
In 1838 Fr. Peter Nguyễn Văn Tự was assigned to Đức Trai parish which was also called Kẻ Mốt in the province of Bắc Ninh. At this moment, due to King Minh Mạng’s intense persecution, Fr. Peter Nguyễn Văn Tự had to carry out his ministry in secret. Mr. Quang, a generous parishioner, let him hide in his farm. Every morning, he celebrated mass right in the field. On June 29, soldiers surrounded the village of Kẻ Mốt searching for Fr. Peter Tự, but he was helped to a neighboring village. After meticulous search, soldiers found his sacramental vestments together with vessels, they assembled villagers to torture and interrogate. Many parishioners tolerated the beatings without betraying his whereabouts; at Dr. Minh’s turn, threatened with beating he gave up Fr. Peter Tự’s hiding place. Arrested with Fr. Peter Tự was his able assistant, 26-year old Dominican tertiary catechist Dominic Úy.
Taken to Lương Tài district, the magistrate propositioned the priest to buy his freedom, but the priest calmly answered: “To me, imprisoned for faith is God’s grace; as for money I don’t have any, and I also don’t want to trouble my parishioners with money.” On July 3, with the arrests of four parish council presidents of four different parishes, the magistrate had them escorted to Ninh Thái (presently Bắc Ninh).
The following morning, the mandarin summoned Fr. Peter Tự. With sincerity he invited the priest into his house; sitting on a sedge mat, the mandarin sweetly requested the priest to disclose names of all priests in the diocese. Also with voice not any less polite, the priest mentioned the names of two bishops and six priests who were already arrested, however the mandarin shook his head in approval. A week later, the mandarin again invited Fr. Peter Tự and asked him to explain sacramental objects, vestments, vessels that they had confiscated earlier. The priest used the opportunity to explain the Catholic faith dismissing sacrilegious rumors about the faith, and talked about sacramental services as well as Christians.
* A Leader’s Demeanor.
When he was in the district’s jail, he was surprised to find among the books confiscated when he was arrested the parish registry of Kẻ Mốt, he immediately tried to dispose of it. But how could he do it under the watchful eyes of the guards? He immediately asked for a sedge mat with the excuse of using it to cover him up to keep mosquitoes out. Under that mat, he slowly chewed and consumed pages after pages. But this ”delicacy” was not very appetizing, after eating two-third of the book, he chewed the pages into pieces and threw under the bed.
What pained him most was seeing so many Christians arrested with him stepped on the cross to go home. He never stopped repeating God’s words: “Whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father” (Mt 10: 33) He continued: “until Heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law,” (Mt 5: 18). “Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation.” (Mt 26: 41) His consolation was the perseverance of two catechists, Francis Mậu and Dominic Úy, and four parishioners: Joseph Cảnh, Thomas Đệ, Augustin Mới and Stephen Vinh. All were Dominican tertiary members, and martyred on 12/19/1839.
On 7/27/1838 Bắc Ninh governor petitioned the royal court to sentence Fr. Fr. Peter Tự and Mr. Joseph Cảnh, the parish council president, to strangulation, and punished the other five to 100 canes then banishment to Bình Định province. But the king ordered a retrial with the condition that the prisoners must renounce their faith to be pardoned; else the two sentenced to death earlier must be beheaded while the other five were to be killed by strangulation.
On August 9, the mandarin summoned the seven prisoners before the tribunal. Using both threat and flattery, the mandarin appealed to the prisoners to trample on the cross. At first, the mandarin politely asked Fr. Peter Tự to show the way. He said he really want to free the priest. But also with simple words, the priest talked to him about Primary Father, Secondary Father, and Tertiary Father, as well as the respect he had for all three. The priest continued: “A general leading soldiers in battle, even when all soldiers flee, the general must not surrender. I a priest, even if parishioners were scattered, I must remain faithful to God.” After the priest’s emphatic words, the mandarin knew it useless to continue, he ordered him thrown in jail.
* Faithful White Habits.
Knowing that his execution day was coming, Fr. Peter Tự sent words through a parishioner to ask Fr. Phương of Kẻ Roi parish to give him confessions. From then on, he appeared unusually joyful waiting for the day of happiness. Morning of September 5, the approved sentence arrived to Bắc Ninh, Fr. Peter Tự and Mr. Joseph Cảnh were led to the execution site. The two shared some laugh with their fellow inmates and said their farewell. Fr. Peter Tự put on his white Dominican habit, Mr. Joseph Cảnh also put on his tertiary habit. Observing Fr. Peter Tự’s glowing appearance, the mandarin questioned the significance of the whie habit, the priest explained:
“This is the habit of a great religious order of the Church that I have the honor of being a member. White represents chastity which I try to keep with all my heart...”
Then holding the crucifix, he continued:
“Here is the Savior who was nailed because of mankind’s sins. Please permit me to wear this habit and hold this crucifix to my execution.”
The mandarin silently agreed. At that exact moment, a big crowd of curious people gathered, Fr. Peter Tự asked the mandarin to let him have a few words with the crowd. So for more than an hour, he preached about Jesus, salvation, and about the brotherhood among men who had the same heavenly father.
On the road to the execution site, soldiers walked along both sides, in the middle Fr. Peter Tự and Mr. Joseph Cảnh prayed the Litany of Saints while they walked. The execution site was a small hill on the outskirt of Kinh Bắc. At the site, the two knelt on two sedge mats. Following the signaling drum, the executioners performed their duty, and then threw the heads into the air for everyone to see. Immediately, Christians as well as pagans swarmed over one another to rush in to soak the martyrs’ blood. A Christian later paid for Fr. Peter Tự’s crucifix and gave it to the Dominican Order. In the beatification documents, people testified to miracles received from this crucifix.
The witness in white had gone to Heaven with a good heart on 9/5/1838. His body was ordered to be buried near there, Christians had to pay a bribe to take it back to the community of Nghĩa Vũ, Yên Dũng district in Bắc Ninh province for burial.
Pope Leo XIII elevated Fr. Peter Nguyễn Văn Tự, a priest of the order of preachers, to the rank of blessed on 5/27/1900.
Hoàng Tôn Thất
Saint Peter NGUYỄN VĂN TỰ
Dominican Priest
(1796-1838)
* Earthly Father, Heavenly Father.
“Your Honor I respectfully regard God as the Father of the highest grade, the King as the Father of the middle grade, and my parents as Father of the low grade. Therefore, I cannot obey my own father to hurt the king, nor can I follow the king’s order to hurt the Supreme Father who is God of Heaven and Earth.”
The martyr, who had clearly analyzed the Vietnamese Christians’ opinion on loyalty above, was a priest of he order of preachers, Fr. Peter Nguyễn Văn Tự.
* Captured because of his Mission.
Born in Ninh Cường village, Ham Chân district, Thiện Trường prefecture, Nam Định province, in 1796, Peter Tự offered his life to God at an early age. In 1826 he was ordained a priest, then joined the Dominican Order and professed his solemn vow before superior Amandi Chiêu on 1/4/1827. Throughout 12 years as a priest, Fr. Peter Tự was an exemplary religious and a devoted missionary. His beatification documents recorded his dedication to his works regardless of difficulties, and his kind treatment and his love for others.
In 1838 Fr. Peter Nguyễn Văn Tự was assigned to Đức Trai parish which was also called Kẻ Mốt in the province of Bắc Ninh. At this moment, due to King Minh Mạng’s intense persecution, Fr. Peter Nguyễn Văn Tự had to carry out his ministry in secret. Mr. Quang, a generous parishioner, let him hide in his farm. Every morning, he celebrated mass right in the field. On June 29, soldiers surrounded the village of Kẻ Mốt searching for Fr. Peter Tự, but he was helped to a neighboring village. After meticulous search, soldiers found his sacramental vestments together with vessels, they assembled villagers to torture and interrogate. Many parishioners tolerated the beatings without betraying his whereabouts; at Dr. Minh’s turn, threatened with beating he gave up Fr. Peter Tự’s hiding place. Arrested with Fr. Peter Tự was his able assistant, 26-year old Dominican tertiary catechist Dominic Úy.
Taken to Lương Tài district, the magistrate propositioned the priest to buy his freedom, but the priest calmly answered: “To me, imprisoned for faith is God’s grace; as for money I don’t have any, and I also don’t want to trouble my parishioners with money.” On July 3, with the arrests of four parish council presidents of four different parishes, the magistrate had them escorted to Ninh Thái (presently Bắc Ninh).
The following morning, the mandarin summoned Fr. Peter Tự. With sincerity he invited the priest into his house; sitting on a sedge mat, the mandarin sweetly requested the priest to disclose names of all priests in the diocese. Also with voice not any less polite, the priest mentioned the names of two bishops and six priests who were already arrested, however the mandarin shook his head in approval. A week later, the mandarin again invited Fr. Peter Tự and asked him to explain sacramental objects, vestments, vessels that they had confiscated earlier. The priest used the opportunity to explain the Catholic faith dismissing sacrilegious rumors about the faith, and talked about sacramental services as well as Christians.
* A Leader’s Demeanor.
When he was in the district’s jail, he was surprised to find among the books confiscated when he was arrested the parish registry of Kẻ Mốt, he immediately tried to dispose of it. But how could he do it under the watchful eyes of the guards? He immediately asked for a sedge mat with the excuse of using it to cover him up to keep mosquitoes out. Under that mat, he slowly chewed and consumed pages after pages. But this ”delicacy” was not very appetizing, after eating two-third of the book, he chewed the pages into pieces and threw under the bed.
What pained him most was seeing so many Christians arrested with him stepped on the cross to go home. He never stopped repeating God’s words: “Whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father” (Mt 10: 33) He continued: “until Heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law,” (Mt 5: 18). “Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation.” (Mt 26: 41) His consolation was the perseverance of two catechists, Francis Mậu and Dominic Úy, and four parishioners: Joseph Cảnh, Thomas Đệ, Augustin Mới and Stephen Vinh. All were Dominican tertiary members, and martyred on 12/19/1839.
On 7/27/1838 Bắc Ninh governor petitioned the royal court to sentence Fr. Fr. Peter Tự and Mr. Joseph Cảnh, the parish council president, to strangulation, and punished the other five to 100 canes then banishment to Bình Định province. But the king ordered a retrial with the condition that the prisoners must renounce their faith to be pardoned; else the two sentenced to death earlier must be beheaded while the other five were to be killed by strangulation.
On August 9, the mandarin summoned the seven prisoners before the tribunal. Using both threat and flattery, the mandarin appealed to the prisoners to trample on the cross. At first, the mandarin politely asked Fr. Peter Tự to show the way. He said he really want to free the priest. But also with simple words, the priest talked to him about Primary Father, Secondary Father, and Tertiary Father, as well as the respect he had for all three. The priest continued: “A general leading soldiers in battle, even when all soldiers flee, the general must not surrender. I a priest, even if parishioners were scattered, I must remain faithful to God.” After the priest’s emphatic words, the mandarin knew it useless to continue, he ordered him thrown in jail.
* Faithful White Habits.
Knowing that his execution day was coming, Fr. Peter Tự sent words through a parishioner to ask Fr. Phương of Kẻ Roi parish to give him confessions. From then on, he appeared unusually joyful waiting for the day of happiness. Morning of September 5, the approved sentence arrived to Bắc Ninh, Fr. Peter Tự and Mr. Joseph Cảnh were led to the execution site. The two shared some laugh with their fellow inmates and said their farewell. Fr. Peter Tự put on his white Dominican habit, Mr. Joseph Cảnh also put on his tertiary habit. Observing Fr. Peter Tự’s glowing appearance, the mandarin questioned the significance of the whie habit, the priest explained:
“This is the habit of a great religious order of the Church that I have the honor of being a member. White represents chastity which I try to keep with all my heart...”
Then holding the crucifix, he continued:
“Here is the Savior who was nailed because of mankind’s sins. Please permit me to wear this habit and hold this crucifix to my execution.”
The mandarin silently agreed. At that exact moment, a big crowd of curious people gathered, Fr. Peter Tự asked the mandarin to let him have a few words with the crowd. So for more than an hour, he preached about Jesus, salvation, and about the brotherhood among men who had the same heavenly father.
On the road to the execution site, soldiers walked along both sides, in the middle Fr. Peter Tự and Mr. Joseph Cảnh prayed the Litany of Saints while they walked. The execution site was a small hill on the outskirt of Kinh Bắc. At the site, the two knelt on two sedge mats. Following the signaling drum, the executioners performed their duty, and then threw the heads into the air for everyone to see. Immediately, Christians as well as pagans swarmed over one another to rush in to soak the martyrs’ blood. A Christian later paid for Fr. Peter Tự’s crucifix and gave it to the Dominican Order. In the beatification documents, people testified to miracles received from this crucifix.
The witness in white had gone to Heaven with a good heart on 9/5/1838. His body was ordered to be buried near there, Christians had to pay a bribe to take it back to the community of Nghĩa Vũ, Yên Dũng district in Bắc Ninh province for burial.
Pope Leo XIII elevated Fr. Peter Nguyễn Văn Tự, a priest of the order of preachers, to the rank of blessed on 5/27/1900.
Hoàng Tôn Thất