The Provincial Superior of the Redemptorists in Vietnam reports to all Redemptorists in Vietnam and around the world that great efforts have been made to dialogue with the government but they have yield nothing, and his hope is vanishing.
“No servant is greater than his master (Jn 15:20),” Fr. Vincent Nguyen Trung Thanh warns his Vietnamese Redemptorist brothers in a letter released on Sunday Sep. 14, in which he tells them that results from talks with the government are void.
“We had opportunities to talk with the leaders of the nation who are in charge of the Committee For Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security... to present our aspiration for justice and peace.” In details, Fr. Vincent Nguyen requested the government “to stop all reports on newspaper, radio and television which are delivering false accusations to defame us,”, “to release all those who have been arrested,” and “to dialogue seriously on the Thai Ha dispute and return the land to us.”
“There were promises [from state officials],” he reports. But, unfortunately, “even the simple promise to stop the assault of state-run media against us has never been respected!”
In this situation, “Please recite continuous nine days of Novenas Our Lady of Perpetual Help,” the Provincial Superior asks his Redemptorist brothers.
In conclusion, Fr. Vincent Nguyen asks “Saint Alphonsus Liguori, all Redemptorist Saints and Blesseds, in particular, Blesseds Ivan Ziatyk, Dominik Trechka, Vasil Velechkovskyi, Nicholas Charnetsky, Zenon Kowalyk - witnesses to the faith in the twentieth century” to intercede for Vietnamese Redemptorists in this difficult time.
“No servant is greater than his master (Jn 15:20),” Fr. Vincent Nguyen Trung Thanh warns his Vietnamese Redemptorist brothers in a letter released on Sunday Sep. 14, in which he tells them that results from talks with the government are void.
“We had opportunities to talk with the leaders of the nation who are in charge of the Committee For Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security... to present our aspiration for justice and peace.” In details, Fr. Vincent Nguyen requested the government “to stop all reports on newspaper, radio and television which are delivering false accusations to defame us,”, “to release all those who have been arrested,” and “to dialogue seriously on the Thai Ha dispute and return the land to us.”
“There were promises [from state officials],” he reports. But, unfortunately, “even the simple promise to stop the assault of state-run media against us has never been respected!”
In this situation, “Please recite continuous nine days of Novenas Our Lady of Perpetual Help,” the Provincial Superior asks his Redemptorist brothers.
In conclusion, Fr. Vincent Nguyen asks “Saint Alphonsus Liguori, all Redemptorist Saints and Blesseds, in particular, Blesseds Ivan Ziatyk, Dominik Trechka, Vasil Velechkovskyi, Nicholas Charnetsky, Zenon Kowalyk - witnesses to the faith in the twentieth century” to intercede for Vietnamese Redemptorists in this difficult time.
Blessed Ivan Ziatyk C.Ss.R. (1899-1952). Beatified June 27th, 2001.Born in Galizia, Ukraine. Ordained priest 1923. Later, in 1935, professed as a Redemptorist and taught in the Redemptorist Seminary. Interned by the Soviets (With 58 other Redemptorists) in 1946. Arrested in 1950 and imprisoned. Interrogated and tortured. Condemned to 10 years of forced labour in Siberia, where he was beaten to death in 1952.
Blessed Dominik Trechka C.Ss.R. (1886-1959) Beatified November 4th, 2001.Blessed Dominik Trechka was born in Moravia in 1886. As a Redemptorist priest he gave Parish Missions, worked among the Greek Catholics in Galizia and Slovakia, and helped in the formation of younger Redemptorists. In 1950 he was sentenced by the Czech Communist Government to twelve years imprisonment, and after unspeakable torture, died in prison in 1959.
Blessed Vasil Velechkovskyi C.Ss.R. (1903-1973). Beatified June 27th, 2001.Born in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. Joined the Redemptorists in 1920. Ordained priest 1925. Missioner for 20 years. Arrested by the Soviets. After a two year trial in Kiev, he was condemned to be shot. Later commuted to 10 years in Siberian labour camps. Liberated in 1955. Consecrated Bishop in Moscow 1969. Twice more arrested and liberated. Settled in Winnipeg, Canada. Died June 1973.
Blessed Nicholas Charnetsky C.Ss.R. (1884-1959). Beatified June 27th, 2001.Born in Semakivtsi, Western Ukraine. Ordained priest 1909. Later joined the Redemptorists in 1919. Missioner for 5 years. Consecrated Bishop in 1931. Arrested in Lviv 1945. Tortured and humiliated, he was condemned to 15 years of forced labour in Siberia. Released in 1956 in a dying condition. He recovered, continued his ministry and died in Lviv, April 1959.
Blessed Zenon Kowalyk C.Ss.R. (1903-1941). Beatified June 27th, 2001. Born in Ivatsciv Horisiscnij, Ukraine. Professed as a Redemptorist 1926. Ordained priest 1932. Famous as a preacher and confessor. Arrested by the Bolsheviks in 1940. Imprisoned and tortured. Official Soviet documents state he was shot in prison in Lviv, June 1941.
Blessed Dominik Trechka C.Ss.R. (1886-1959) Beatified November 4th, 2001.Blessed Dominik Trechka was born in Moravia in 1886. As a Redemptorist priest he gave Parish Missions, worked among the Greek Catholics in Galizia and Slovakia, and helped in the formation of younger Redemptorists. In 1950 he was sentenced by the Czech Communist Government to twelve years imprisonment, and after unspeakable torture, died in prison in 1959.
Blessed Vasil Velechkovskyi C.Ss.R. (1903-1973). Beatified June 27th, 2001.Born in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. Joined the Redemptorists in 1920. Ordained priest 1925. Missioner for 20 years. Arrested by the Soviets. After a two year trial in Kiev, he was condemned to be shot. Later commuted to 10 years in Siberian labour camps. Liberated in 1955. Consecrated Bishop in Moscow 1969. Twice more arrested and liberated. Settled in Winnipeg, Canada. Died June 1973.
Blessed Nicholas Charnetsky C.Ss.R. (1884-1959). Beatified June 27th, 2001.Born in Semakivtsi, Western Ukraine. Ordained priest 1909. Later joined the Redemptorists in 1919. Missioner for 5 years. Consecrated Bishop in 1931. Arrested in Lviv 1945. Tortured and humiliated, he was condemned to 15 years of forced labour in Siberia. Released in 1956 in a dying condition. He recovered, continued his ministry and died in Lviv, April 1959.
Blessed Zenon Kowalyk C.Ss.R. (1903-1941). Beatified June 27th, 2001. Born in Ivatsciv Horisiscnij, Ukraine. Professed as a Redemptorist 1926. Ordained priest 1932. Famous as a preacher and confessor. Arrested by the Bolsheviks in 1940. Imprisoned and tortured. Official Soviet documents state he was shot in prison in Lviv, June 1941.