Hi there,

Happy Easter to all my friends! How was your Lenten journey? I hope it was a meaningful experience for you as it was for me. During Lent, I gave up coffee, movie rentals and eating out. It wasn't easy, but with God's help, once I determined not to give-in to my urges, it felt quite liberating and satisfying. I felt real good about myself. Spiritually, I feel renewed, strengthened; physically, I feel refreshed, happy to be alive! Oh... and there are also less "zits" on my face as a result of my Lenten sacrifices. By not drinking coffee, not staying up late to watch rental videos and not eating out at those greasy joints, my face seems to clear up a lot more than before. So, I have much to rejoice this Easter!

Speaking of rejoicing, we (the Vietnamese Catholics) have something very special to be happy about. Do you know what it is? Last month, (March 05), the first Vietnamese martyr, Andrew of Phú Yên was officially declared "Blessed" by Pope John Paul II. This is a very joyful events for all of us indeed! A brief story of Blessed Andrew of Phú Yên is enclosed for your information. For those of you who don't quite understand why the Vietnamese Catholic communities are so ecstatic about this event, let me give an example so you can relate to it a bit more. Have you ever heard of a new game show called "Who Wants to be a Millionaire"? Well, suppose your dad or grandpa just gave the right answer to the "million-dollar-question"..., how would you feel? Well, Blessed Andrew of Phú Yên didn't win a million dollars, but he sure hit the "eternal" jack pot and his reward is a millionfold better than any amount of money can buy. His wealth and treasures are stored up in heaven where they won't decay. That's why we, the generation of great-great-grandchildren of Blessed Andrew are so proud of him and we admire him for loving God with all his heart, even until his last breath. In learning about how Blessed Andrew lived and how he died, we're inspired to be more courageous to live our faith. We know that we can count on Blessed Andrew to pray and support us in times of need. I hope you'll enjoy reading about Blessed Andrew. May all of us be inspired by his courage and steadfast love for the Lord.

Dear Blessed Andrew, pray for us, so that we can be "fools for Christ" in our own special ways.

Stay happy, dear friends and may the Peace and Joy of the Risen Lord be with you always,

Tess Nguyen

ps: Smile, Christ is risen!

Andrew, whose family name is unknown, was a young catechist who in 1644 gave his life for Christ. On March 5, Pope John Paul II beatified him and 43 other martyrs from several countries.

In Vietnam, Christianity has weathered the storms of many hostile regimes, including the communists who govern the country today. The faith has survived thanks in large part to generations of catechists who have served Christ and the Gospel, even after foreign missionaries had been expelled and native clergy were prohibited from exercising their ministry.

The story of seventeenth-century Christianity in Vietnam, and of Andrew’s place in it, was first told by Father Alexander de Rhodes, who was to Vietnam what Father Matteo Ricci was for China. Like Father Ricci in China, Father de Rhodes compiled the first dictionary of the Vietnamese language and developed the written characters still used today.

He was present for the imprisonment, condemnation to death, and martyrdom of Andrew, and wrote the first account of his life five years after the death of the young Vietnamese blessed.

Andrew was born in the province of Ran Ran (Phú Yên in Central Vietnam) to a woman who is known today only by her Christian name, Joanne. He possessed a rather weak constitution but an excellent mind, sound judgment, and a soul that tended toward goodness.

At the insistence of the boy’s mother, Father de Rhodes accepted Andrew as one of his students. He applied himself to his studies to such a degree that he soon surpassed his fellow students. He received baptism, along with his mother, only three years before his death, at the age of 19 or 20.

In late July 1644, the Mandarin Ông Nghè Bộ came back to the province carrying with him the order to halt the expansion of Christianity in his kingdom. He dispatched soldiers to Father de Rhodes’ house with orders to pick up a catechist named Ignatius but instead found only Andrew.

They beat him and bound him and brought him before the mandarin on the evening of July 25, 1644, explaining that he was a catechist just like Ignatius. They reported that "he had always spoken of the law of Christ to everyone in the village, exhorting them to receive it."

Andrew was told to "give up his idiotic opinion," and to renounce his faith. The intrepid catechist confirmed that he was Christian, and that he was willing to suffer anything in order to not abandon the law he professed, saying that he was willingly to embrace "both the suffering and the most glorious death" for his beliefs.

Father de Rhodes and some Portuguese merchants were admitted to the house where Andrew was being held and found him serene and happy. With tears in their eyes, they offered him their prayers but Andrew asked them to pray for themselves, that God grant them fidelity to the "infinite love of the Lord who gave his own life for mankind." He added: "Let us give love for love to our God, let us give life for life."

On the afternoon of July 26, 1644, a captain came with 30 soldiers, commanding that he follow to the place where they would murder him. Andrew gave thanks to the Lord that the hour of his sacrifice had arrived, and bid farewell to those with him in prison. Father de Rhodes was beside his friend throughout.

Vietnamese Catholics have never forgotten this young catechist, regarding him as the proto-martyr of their country, and powerful intercessor for their own fidelity to the faith.