On July 2, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, celebrated the official beatification Mass for Vietnamese priest Fr. Francis Xavier Trương Bửu Diệp.
Fr. Francis Xavier was a diocesan priest in Vietnam who was killed during a tumultuous time at the end of the Second World War.
Cardinal Tagle praised his example during his homily: "Blessed Francis Xavier Trương Bửu Diệp never wavered in manifesting the charity and justice of Jesus to the poor, the love of Jesus that embraces all, even non-Christians, and the fidelity of Jesus the Good Shepherd who does not leave His flock alone to be devoured by wolves, thieves and marauders."
He pointed to how Fr. Francis Xavier reminds us to place our hope in Jesus Christ, not the passing things of this world: "Bl. Francis Xavier is inviting us to place our hope only in Jesus and in His Kingdom. Only such hope can give meaning and sustain our lives and mission on earth, not the fleeting treasures of the world."
Vietnamese martyr
According to the Vatican biography, "Francis Xavier Tru’o’ng Bǚu Diệpwas born on January 1, 1897, in the Vietnamese province of An Giang ... [to] Catholic parents. On February 2 he was baptized and received the name of the great Jesuit missionary saint [Francis Xavier] ... in 1909 he was welcomed into the minor seminary of the province of An Giang. From there he passed to the major seminary of Phnom Penh and, having completed his studies, he was ordained a priest in 1924 by Msgr. Jean-Claude Bouchut, of the foreign missions of Paris."
For most of his priesthood he was a parish priest, serving in various cities. He was recognized for his holiness and care for the poor.
When World War II broke out, Japan eventually invaded Vietnam and occupied it until the end of the war. With Japan's defeat, Vietnam -- though nominally still under French colonial possession -- was occupied by both Chinese and English troops. This brought its own problems, as Vietnam was in a state of chaos, with various groups struggling to win power.
The Vatican biography explains how Fr. Francis Xavier was killed during this chaotic time:
The situation worsened due to the presence of armed groups and gangs and Japanese deserters at the service of the various commanders...on the morning of March 12, 1946, a group of militants from the Caodaist sect, dependent on a high political exponent with whom [Fr. Francis Xavier] had clashed about the land granted to the poor, arrived in front of the church and blocked about 70 people, Christians and non-Christians, and Fr. Francis Xavier himself, and closed them in two barns a few kilometers away, initially with the intention of killing and burning everyone.
Fr. Francis Xavier was killed trying to defend his people -- and even baptized some of the non-Christians before he died.
