Saint of the Day: St. Francesco Đo Minh Chieu

Martyr (ca. 1797-1838)

His life

+ Phanxicô (Francesco) was a lay catechist who was born in the village of Trung Le, in the Nam Đinh province of Vietnam.

+ He was a dedicated assistant to the Bishop Dominic Henares de Zafra Cubero, a Dominican missionary who had been named bishop of Phunhay in 1803.

+ During the persecution of Vietnamese Christians by the emperor Minh Mang, Francesco and Bishop Henares were arrested and murdered on June 25, 1838.

+ These two holy martyrs were canonized with 109 martyrs from Vietnam in 1988. They are honored with a common liturgical memorial on November 24 as “Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and the Martyrs of Vietnam.”

For prayer and reflection

“May we never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—Galatians 6:14

Prayer

Almighty and merciful God, who brought your Martyr blessed Francesco to overcome the torments of his passion, grant that we, who celebrate the day of his triumph, may remain invincible under your protection against the snares of the enemy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

(from The Roman Missal: Common of Holy Men and Women—For One Martyr)

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.