With a single drop of water and 3 drops of wine, he would celebrate Mass in the palm of his hand. Lying under mosquito nets in the dark, he distributed Communion to his neighbors using bread smuggled in a flashlight. Throughout the night, they took turns holding the Euchrist. Wrapping the host in cigarette paper for protection, they held the King of Kings in adoration.
“The Blessed Sacrament helped tremendously. Even Buddhists and other non-Christians were converted.The strength of the love of Jesus is irresistible.The darkness of the prison turned into light,the seed germinated silently in the storm.”
Phanxicô (Francis) Xaviê Nguyễn Văn Thuận was born on April 17, 1928 in central Vietnam, in the suburb of Hue. He came from a devout catholic family and was ordained a priest on June 11, at the age of 25. In 1967, Van Thuan was appointed as the first Vietnamese Bishop of Nha Trang. His motto was “Joy & Hope.”
As tension rose between the Catholic church and the communists, Văn Thuận was arrested on August 15, 1975. Without a trial for sentence, he was imprisoned for 13 years, 9 of them spent in solitary confinement. During his years in prison, Văn Thuận converted almost every prison guard assigned to him. He also wrote letters to his people on the backs of calendar pages that were smuggled out. After being caught, he was put into solitary confinement in a dim, windowless cell.
After a few months, feeling completely useless and struggling for sanity, he had a life changing spiritual insight. He realized that Jesus too appeared useless as he hung from the cross, completely powerless. Even still, He achieved His greatest accomplishment; saving the whole human race. Văn Thuận recommitted himself to being an apostle of hope from that point on.
On November 21,1988, Văn Thuận was released from prison, but later exiled from Vietnam. He spent the rest of his ministry in the Vatican, speaking and writing about his time in prison. He was named a Cardinal in 2001 and died on September 16, 2002. In September 2007, his cause for beatification was open and remains as such.
