Friday, October 22, 2010

Cardinal Van Thuan



I had the privilege to attend seminary with Vietnamese seminarians at Holy Apostles, Cromwell, CT, some of whom, knew the Cardinal personally.
Their stories, their witness, their absolute fidelity to Jesus and His Church will forever be in my heart and in my mind. I am for ever grateful.
I have vestments made by Vietnamese Sisters given to me at my ordination by my Vietnamese friends. These "confessors of the faith" became my friends, one of whom was tortured daily by the Communist North Vietnamese; he eventually emigrated to the USA, worked in a factory, until he could attend seminary and be ordained a priest in his '50s...what a legacy of faith. He was the most kind, gentle and holy soul; what an inspiration!
My Dad was a Dr. sent to Vietnam from 1967-68. He took care of many civilians, as well as the soldier casualties. When my Vietnamese seminarian companions learned this, they adopted me as their "brother". My Dad had cared for their women, children, old men and women; I was "one of them".
So very overwhelming.

3 comments:

owenswain said...

Thuan's sister, Elizabeth Nguyen Thi Thu Hong, lives right here, in Windsor, Ontario. I was privileged to hear her speak about the Cardinal at the 49th International Eucharistic Congress. Had to travel all the way to Quebec to hear someone from my own city speak about someone who may one day be a declared a universal saint.

Fr. John Mary, ISJ said...

Thanks, Owen.
What a wonderful thing to hear the Cardinal's sister speak.
May Cardinal Van Thuan be raised to the altars!

PlainCatholic said...

So many gentle Vietnamese live here now. They and other Vietnamese martyrs to the faith urge the rest of us to likewise love and cling to our Catholic Faith.