Table of Contents
Blessed Catechist Andrew Phú Yên
Born: 1625 - Died: 1644
Feast Day: July 26
#Catechist
Honor to the Vietnamese youth
In his letter to the 17th World Youth Day in Canada, Pope John Paul II named the second in the list of 10 young saintly models (1). This figure of great honor is the Blessed Andrew Phú Yên, a young and vigorous Vietnamese who witnessed to the Lord at the age of 19, also the first martyr among the 118 witnesses of faith in Vietnam who were canonized.
Young Catechist
Although widowed, Gioanna educated her child with all her devotion and wisdom. Two years later, she begged and was allowed by Father Alexandre de Rhodes himself, the famous Jesuit missionary in Vietnam, to accept her 17-year-old son Andrew to join the catechist organization. After being further trained in religion and culture, Andrew took his vows in Hoi An in 1643, and began his work as a catechist, following Father de Rhodes on the missionary path from Phú Yên up to Quy Nhơn, Quảng Ngãi, Quảng Nam and Quảng Bình.
Based on the documents written by Father de Rhodes himself about the missionary work in Đàng Trong, besides two mature Christians, there was also a group of younger people, who also took public vows in church, promising to cooperate in saving souls, under the guidance of the missionaries or their appointed superiors. Among these young people was Catechist Andrew, who had devoted his life to following in the footsteps of the Divine Master.
Some witnesses who met the catechist at Father de Rhodes' house, or witnessed how he served the community in Hoi An; all praised him as an enthusiastic and zealous person, both when teaching the faith and when leading community prayers. Many affirmed that he diligently received the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.
Accepting difficulties voluntarily
In July 1644, the provincial chief who was governing Phú Yên province received an edict from Lord Nguyễn's court ordering a ban on the spread of the religion. He was eager to obey this order. He ordered the arrest of an elderly catechist also named Andrew and surrounded Father de Rhodes' house to capture another catechist named Ignatius.
When Father de Rhodes heard about this, he went to meet this officer to try to negotiate, but the provincial chief affirmed his determination to obey the lord's order. He asked the father to return to Macao and warned that he would severely punish believers who dared to follow the new religion. So Father de Rhodes could only go to the prison to visit the elderly Catechist Andrew. The father asked to stay overnight with the catechist but was not allowed.
When the soldiers came to Father de Rhodes' house to capture Catechist Ignatius, the whole family was away. Catechist Andrew was the only one present. The catechist took full responsibility, so the soldiers arrested him after confiscating the holy images and liturgical objects and took them to the chief. Andrew happily went with them, and throughout the journey to prison "did not cease to teach those who led him to the dungeon how to avoid hell and ascend to heaven" (2).
After being brought before the chief, accused of being a layman and a catechist, Catechist Andrew was locked up together with the elderly Andrew. The two stayed up all night, which they regarded as the last night of their lives, comforting each other with the belief that tomorrow they would go to heaven (3). According to Father de Rhodes: "It is impossible to explain how great was the joy of these two prisoners when they saw themselves united with each other, honored to bear the burden of the Cross because of their faith in Christ: their praises to God for that grace continuously ascended, in their affectionate conversation, they encouraged and exhorted each other to be ready for the coming battle".
The next morning, the chief ordered the two Catechist Andrews brought to court for sentencing. The two were escorted through the streets, wearing cangues, passing through Chàm market, to the chief's headquarters. Father de Rhodes and some Portuguese merchants came to meet the chief to intervene. But the chief only agreed to spare the elderly Andrew and sentenced the stubborn 19-year-old youth who dared to declare to the chief: "I wish I had a thousand lives to offer them all to God to repay His favor."
When he heard the death sentence, Catechist Andrew appeared calm and happy to suffer for Christ. The catechist encouraged the visitors. He asked them to pray for him to be faithful to the Lord, and expressed his wish to offer his life in perfect love, in order to repay the infinite love of the Lord, who gave His life for mankind... The catechist repeated many times, especially: "Let us repay the love of our Lord with love, repay life with life".
Repay love with love
Around 5 pm, a detachment of about 30 soldiers entered the prison to escort Catechist Andrew to the place of execution. Catechist Andrew thanked God that the hour of sacrifice had come, and after bidding farewell to all his fellow prisoners, he walked briskly. The soldiers surrounded him and led him through the streets of Chàm town, to a field outside the citadel (4). Father de Rhodes, many Vietnamese and Portuguese believers and some local residents had followed to witness the execution of the Servant of God.
At the place of execution, the soldiers pushed Catechist Andrew to his knees, then stood around him, after which they removed his cangue and tied his hands behind his back. Father de Rhodes asked and was allowed to spread a mat under Catechist Andrew's feet to catch the blood, but Catechist Andrew refused, wanting his blood to fall to the ground like the Precious Blood of Christ of old. Father de Rhodes respected his decision and stood by his side. Meanwhile, Catechist Andrew exhorted the believers present to always remain steadfast in the faith, not to grieve over his death, and to pray for him to be faithful to the end.
The execution of Catechist Andrew was carried out with several spear stabs to his left side. The catechist still looked at Father de Rhodes as if tenderly bidding farewell, but the father reminded him to look up to heaven where he was about to go and where Jesus would welcome him. The catechist looked up and did not look down again. Finally, when a soldier beheaded him with a saber, the catechist cried out loud the holy name "Jesus". That day was July 26, 1644.
To his last breath, Catechist Andrew demonstrated steadfast fidelity in accepting the sacrifice of his life for his faith and love for Christ. After witnessing the whole process of execution, Father de Rhodes asked for and was able to claim Catechist Andrew's body. A few days later he took the catechist's remains on a ship to Macao on August 15, 1644. The Jesuits there welcomed his coffin and buried him there. Only the martyr's head was brought back to Rome by Father de Rhodes. Based on the father's written accounts of Catechist Andrew's death, the Holy See had already begun the beatification process for him by the end of 1644.
For Vietnamese believers, Catechist Andrew Phú Yên is the very first martyr of Đàng Trong, a shining example of a faithful child of God who lived the Christian life. They believe in asking the Catechist to intercede for them before God's throne, to gain the strength to live the faith and remain faithful to Christ and the Church. When attending the Second Vatican Council, the Vietnamese bishops asked Pope Paul VI to reopen the beatification case of Catechist Andrew. The bishops emphasized that Catechist Andrew's attitude of serenity and determination to accept martyrdom was a powerful encouragement for those who, like him, were suffering to defend the faith and remain faithful to Christ and the Church.
In mid 2000, the Great Jubilee Year, on March 5, Pope John Paul II raised Catechist Andrew Phú Yên to the rank of Blessed.
Lord,
may catechists and young people,
in whatever circumstances,
whether in places of prohibition or in modern societies with many temptations,
Follow the example of Blessed Catechist Andrew Phú Yên,
enthusiastically proclaiming the Gospel of Love and Reconciliation
and steadfastly following Jesus,
ready to offer their lives in response to His love. Amen.
(1): The ten young saints set as examples by Pope John Paul II in his message for the 17th International Youth Day are: Agnes of Rome, Andrew Phú Yên, Pedro Calungsod, Josephine Bakhita, Thérèse of Lisieux, Pier Giorgio Frassati, Marcel Callo, Francisco Castelló Aleu, Kateri Tekakwitha, and the Iroquois also called the "Lily of the Mohawks".
(2): Alexandre De Rhodes, Missionary Journeys, translation by Hồng Nhuệ, UBĐKCG Ho Chi Minh City 1994, p. 146
(3): Ibid, p. 147
(4): Now part of Phước Kiều parish, Vĩnh Điện parish, Quảng Nam province, Đà Nẵng diocese.