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25-07-2006, 08:29 PM
September 18
Saint Dominic TRẠCH
Dominican Priest
(1793-1840)
* Witness of Indestructible Life.
“His Honor, if you want to have indestructible life, you must adore this crucifix.”
Forced to walk over the cross, the Christian hero had calmly and proudly talked about the cross to the mandarin. He was Saint Dominic Trạch.
Born in 1793 in Ngoại Vối, Nam Định province. Dominic Trạch lived with the pastor at a very young age. With a suitable environment under King Gia Long’s reign, he finished seminary studies and was ordained a priest at the age of 30. The following year he joined the Dominican community and professed his solemn vow on 6/3/1825.
* No Fear and No Regret.
People testifying in his beatification papers praised his austerity and strict adherence to Dominican discipline. Even though he was sick with the incurable tuberculosis, he strictly adhered to fasting and chastity, and completed all his responsibilities. He was pastor of Quần Cống, then went Lục Thuỷ seminary to recuperate from his illness as well as to counsel seminarians. In 1839, he was arrested in Ngọc Cục, but villagers spent 200 piasters in ransom to free him. From then on, he alternated his living arrangement between the homes of Dr. Thiện and Mr. Bảo, parish council leader, in Trà Lũ.
On 4/11/1840 on a trip to visit two priests Vinh and Thản in Ngưỡng Nhân, he was discovered by soldiers. Due weak health, he could not evade the soldiers when he was on his way to Tử Liêu. He was arrested and taken to Xuân Trường prefecture. After imprisoned and interrogated there, Fr. Dominic Trạch was transferred to a jail in Nam Định province.
His presence in jail brought joy and encouragement to Christian inmates and even to pagan prisoners. Although he health was failing, Fr. Dominic Trạch still tried to encouraged Christians inmates and heard their confessions. He especially help catechist Thomas Toán who, after stepping twice over the cross, became remorseful, returned to God, and bravely receive his martyrdom. He invited his fellow inmates to pray together, especially recited the Holy Rosary. His face was always cheerful, he often said:
“Although my physical strength is weak, but because I was arrested for my faith, I am not afraid nor regretting anything.”
At all his trials, he was always questioned about Fr. Hermosilla Vọng of the Dominican Order, the Spanish missionary whom the mandarin thought was the last person to be arrested. The mandarin further promised to free him if he walked over the cross and threatened: “Look at that cross, either walk over it or die.” Fr. Dominic Trạch did not answer immediately, he knelt down and kissed it respectfully, then turned to the mandarin and said: “His Honor, the crucifix is the bed where Christ lied dying for mankind. If you want to have indestructible life, you must adore this crucifix. I rather die than walk over the crucifix.”
* Let Me Go First.
Hearing that, the governor slapped the preacher on the face, and threw punches and kicks at him. The governor ordered soldiers to lifted him up by the cangue and carried him over the cross, but he bent his knees regardless of savage beatings by soldiers. Being tired and furious of fruitless tortures, the mandarins decided to condemn him to death. On 9/18/1840/ the death sentence approved by King Minh Mạng arrived in Nam Định and was carried out quickly. The mandarin gave him one last chance to walk over the cross to be free, but he refused.
Before leaving jail, he said goodbyes to reverends Ngân, Nghi, and Thịnh, all of the west vicariate of Tonkin, who were also imprisoned there. Like a person assured of going to the eternal Heaven, he told the priests: “Stay behind and let me go first.” Curious people following him to the execution site were as numerous as at a fair. At the execution site, soldiers removed the cangue. After a few minutes of praying, he extended his neck to receive the saber swing to enter eternity. He was buried at the site. The following year, Christians moved his body to the Lục Thuỷ seminary.
On 5/27/1900 Pope Leo XIII elevated the priest of the order of preachers, Fr. Dominic Trạch to the rank of blessed.
Hoàng Tôn Thất
Saint Dominic TRẠCH
Dominican Priest
(1793-1840)
* Witness of Indestructible Life.
“His Honor, if you want to have indestructible life, you must adore this crucifix.”
Forced to walk over the cross, the Christian hero had calmly and proudly talked about the cross to the mandarin. He was Saint Dominic Trạch.
Born in 1793 in Ngoại Vối, Nam Định province. Dominic Trạch lived with the pastor at a very young age. With a suitable environment under King Gia Long’s reign, he finished seminary studies and was ordained a priest at the age of 30. The following year he joined the Dominican community and professed his solemn vow on 6/3/1825.
* No Fear and No Regret.
People testifying in his beatification papers praised his austerity and strict adherence to Dominican discipline. Even though he was sick with the incurable tuberculosis, he strictly adhered to fasting and chastity, and completed all his responsibilities. He was pastor of Quần Cống, then went Lục Thuỷ seminary to recuperate from his illness as well as to counsel seminarians. In 1839, he was arrested in Ngọc Cục, but villagers spent 200 piasters in ransom to free him. From then on, he alternated his living arrangement between the homes of Dr. Thiện and Mr. Bảo, parish council leader, in Trà Lũ.
On 4/11/1840 on a trip to visit two priests Vinh and Thản in Ngưỡng Nhân, he was discovered by soldiers. Due weak health, he could not evade the soldiers when he was on his way to Tử Liêu. He was arrested and taken to Xuân Trường prefecture. After imprisoned and interrogated there, Fr. Dominic Trạch was transferred to a jail in Nam Định province.
His presence in jail brought joy and encouragement to Christian inmates and even to pagan prisoners. Although he health was failing, Fr. Dominic Trạch still tried to encouraged Christians inmates and heard their confessions. He especially help catechist Thomas Toán who, after stepping twice over the cross, became remorseful, returned to God, and bravely receive his martyrdom. He invited his fellow inmates to pray together, especially recited the Holy Rosary. His face was always cheerful, he often said:
“Although my physical strength is weak, but because I was arrested for my faith, I am not afraid nor regretting anything.”
At all his trials, he was always questioned about Fr. Hermosilla Vọng of the Dominican Order, the Spanish missionary whom the mandarin thought was the last person to be arrested. The mandarin further promised to free him if he walked over the cross and threatened: “Look at that cross, either walk over it or die.” Fr. Dominic Trạch did not answer immediately, he knelt down and kissed it respectfully, then turned to the mandarin and said: “His Honor, the crucifix is the bed where Christ lied dying for mankind. If you want to have indestructible life, you must adore this crucifix. I rather die than walk over the crucifix.”
* Let Me Go First.
Hearing that, the governor slapped the preacher on the face, and threw punches and kicks at him. The governor ordered soldiers to lifted him up by the cangue and carried him over the cross, but he bent his knees regardless of savage beatings by soldiers. Being tired and furious of fruitless tortures, the mandarins decided to condemn him to death. On 9/18/1840/ the death sentence approved by King Minh Mạng arrived in Nam Định and was carried out quickly. The mandarin gave him one last chance to walk over the cross to be free, but he refused.
Before leaving jail, he said goodbyes to reverends Ngân, Nghi, and Thịnh, all of the west vicariate of Tonkin, who were also imprisoned there. Like a person assured of going to the eternal Heaven, he told the priests: “Stay behind and let me go first.” Curious people following him to the execution site were as numerous as at a fair. At the execution site, soldiers removed the cangue. After a few minutes of praying, he extended his neck to receive the saber swing to enter eternity. He was buried at the site. The following year, Christians moved his body to the Lục Thuỷ seminary.
On 5/27/1900 Pope Leo XIII elevated the priest of the order of preachers, Fr. Dominic Trạch to the rank of blessed.
Hoàng Tôn Thất