Vietnamese Church to Celebrate Beatification of First 20th-Century Martyr, Fr. Francis Truong Diep

Vatican city, November 26, 2024: Pope Francis has authorized the beatification of Fr. Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep, the first Vietnamese martyr of the 20th century, recognizing his sacrifice during the First Indochina War. The announcement, coinciding with Vietnam's liturgical feast of martyr saints, honours the diocesan priest who gave his life in 1946 to save his parishioners from execution, marking a significant milestone for the Vietnamese Catholic Church.

Born in 1897 in An Giang province, Fr. Diep was ordained in 1924 and dedicated 16 years of service to Tac Say parish in the Diocese of Can Tho. Amid the war's devastation in 1945-1946, he chose to remain with his flock despite the dangers, famously declaring, "My life and my death are for my flock. The shepherd must be where the flock is." Captured by Japanese deserters allied with the Viet Minh, Fr. Diep sacrificed himself to secure the release of his imprisoned parishioners. He was brutally killed, his body mutilated and discarded, but later recovered and interred in Tac Say, now a revered pilgrimage site.

Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man, who met Fr. Diep as a child, recalled him as a holy priest committed to fostering the Church's growth and supporting the faithful. 

By Catholic Connect Reporter