WEDNESDAY REFLECTION
Mid-week Reflection
25th November 2020
This week we celebrate the feast of Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc a Vietnamese priest who was born almost at the end of the 18th century. Andrew, of course, was his baptismal name and he took on the name Lac which apparently initially helped him during the persecution. But at the age of 44 he was executed by beheading in the reign of Minh Mạng as were some of his companions. Over 261 years 130,000 Christians suffered martyrdom and Pope Leo XIII, Pope Saint Pius X and Pope Pius XII recognised this when they beatified them in different groups between 1900 and 1951 and and they were canonised all together by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1988. 11 of the martyrs were Spanish Dominicans and 10 were French missionaries. All the rest, 37 priests and 59 lay people, were from Vietnam but collectively they are known as the Martyrs of the Church of Vietnam. Here’s a little sad note. At the canonisation in Rome there was no delegation from the communist regime in Vietnam. But 8000 Vietnamese in exile participated as representatives for their catholic countrymen in Vietnam, who not were allowed to leave the country. You might not know this but Bishop McGill, the second Bishop of Paisley, at the time of his ordination as a Sulpician Priest, had volunteered to go to Hanoi in the northern region of Vietnam,. But the Lord, it seems, had other things in mind for him. The plan God has for us might surprise us but in embracing what God wants for us into effect, He offers us everlasting life.
Let us Pray:
Almighty God, you you kept the blessed martyrs Andrew and his companions faithful to the cross of your Son even to the shedding of their blood. Through their intercession enable us to spread your love that we may be truly be called your sons and daughters. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Monsignor Monaghan
