(November 12, 2011) Vietnamese Catholics are currently praying and celebrating Mass
in memory of their country’s 117 martyrs, who were canonised by John Paul II on 16
June 1988. The various communities, especially those of Hanoi, are also commemorating
today’s martyrs, those who are oppressed, those who have lost their jobs or are discriminated
against because of their religion, those who pray and work for justice and peace,
as well as those who proclaim the Word of God. The latest case ison 3 November, when
hundreds of police agents and soldiers broke down the church’s main door, tried to
pick a quarrel with the vicar and parishioners present and threatened to kill members
of the Redemptorist Order. The attack came after local authorities tried to force
the Redemptorists to give up part of parish land they have owned since 1928 in order
to build a water treatment plant for the nearby hospital.After the attack, the vicar
called on the authorities to drop their plans and return the land they had seized
from the parish. Between 2008 and 2009, the parish lost 41,455 m2 of the 61,455 it
owned. The whole thing ended in a phoney trial that saw .“We agree with the local
project to improve the life of the community,” Fr Nguyễn Văn Phượng, vicar to the
Thái Hà Parish Church, said. “However, this should not mean looting out congregation.”“Redemptorists
rented Church land to local authorities during the war. The latter used it and now
should return it to us and allow us to perform our pastoral and charitable activities
for the 20,000 people of this community,” the clergyman explained. “Both Catholics
and non-Catholics need the Redemptorists.”“Our prayers are meant to express our gratitude
to God,” Fr Nguyễn noted. “Suffering and persecution help us see the truth. When we
endure injustice, we can deal with them by loving our neighbours more.”“We are all
here,” he added, “to pray for Thái Hà Parish, committed to the dangerous task of seeking
justice and truth.” Thousands of candles illuminate the opening of the Jubilee of
the Vietnamese ChurchThe ceremony on the day the Church commemorates the 117 Vietnamese
martyrs canonized by Pope John Paul II.