THE ATTITUDE OF THE VIETNAMESE CATHOLIC
TO THEIR SAINTS.

The people's attitude is entirely proud and grateful for them. Due to the Communist government which controls the country, however, the Catholics can do little or nothing publicly, as for example, constructing a shrine to honor them. In the Cathedral there are individual statues of some of the saints. But there is nothing on a large scale. In the provinces there are some small local shrines.

The mentality of the Communist government was especially evident at the time of the canonization in 1988.The government reacted strongly against the proclamation from the Vatican. Their reasons were that the Vatican has no right to interfere in the affairs of the Vietnamese; secondly, that the French and Spanish bishops and priests included in the 117 saints were being honored, when they belonged to a forgotten colonial past.

The Catholic people thought, however, that the Communists feared the result of the canonization. Just as the Catholics of those martyrdom days disobeyed their kings and went even to death because of their principles and values, perhaps the same would happen against the Communist government if the Catholics, inspired by the martyrs, would embrace the same resistance until death.

For some months therefore before the canonization, the Communist government used their propaganda machine to condemn it. What developed instead, however, was that the whole country, including many Buddhists, began to know about the canonization, and became interested in it. Further, despite all the government's opposition, the Catholic bishops insisted with Rome that they continue to the end with the canonization. And this Rome did.

Here must be mentioned the newly beatified Vietnamese. Andrê Phú Yên was born in the village of Lò Giây, where there are now only 10 Catholic families. He was detained in July 1644 in Diên Bàn, province of Quang Nam, while he was in the house of the Jesuit Fathers. He was put into prison with another Christian, whose name was also Andrew. Next day the mandarin condemned both to death for being Christians. Fr. Alexander de Rhodes, S.J. mobilized all the Portuguese of Hôi An to intercede in their favor. The other one was pardoned, because he had children. "This one has to die," they said, "so all will know how to obey the Lord" (The "Lord" was Lord Nguyen, of Hue). The morning of July 26, 1644 Andrew was taken to a court of justice in Go Xu, to be executed. Andrew was kneeling; the soldiers all around did not allow de Rhodes to approach, but the captain more favorable permitted him to be at the side of the martyr.

He was beheaded. De Rhodes took the body to Macao and the head to Rome. Andrew was 19 years old and was beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 5, 2000.

Foreign-born Saints
All together they are twenty-one. Eleven were Spanish Dominicans, six of whom were bishops and five priests. Ten belonged to the Paris Foreign Mission Society; two were bishops and eight priests.